Strike Heroes 3: Global Revengeance
by Dilnos521
Summary: With the end of "Wings of Freedom", a new story opens itself for the newly-returned Roland Sage. With the help of the Strike Witches, Karlsland may be liberated. New faces, new enemies, new challenges: will Roland be able to complete this? How much will it take, and will it all be in vain? Rated T for now.
1. Settling Back Into the (In)Sanity

**Hello, and it's time for the moment you've all been waiting for: I present for your reading pleasure...** _Strike Heroes 3: Global Revengeance_ **!**

 **It's been a while since I ended the series for a while with** _Strike Heroes: Wings of Freedom_ **, but now I'm coming back to the series with this new entry.**

 **So to answer your questions about it so far: this is going to go in a completely original direction. I planned to move the story in this direction since I first finished** _Strike Heroes_ **, which had been about two years ago. After I finished with the movie, I had to do a bit of a quick assessment to make sure that the direction I wanted to go was still possible, and according to what I saw...it was still possible, albeit with a few corrections to it. Plus, the teaser should have given you guys a slight idea (if not more) of where this story will be going.**

 **This will also be (for the most part) longer than any of the entries for each chapter, something that comes with a pro and a con: I can get more of the story out to you guys so that you can spend more time within each chapter but at the same time I know that not everyone enjoys long chapter, so I will definitely be depending on you guys to tell me how I'm doing so far.**

 **As for the rest of what I want to say, I'll discuss those things concerning this story at the end of this chapter, so for now let's see what's going on since** _WoF_ **...**

 **Ah, right, can't forget disclaimers: I don't own anything except the characters I created. Also, any references made in the story belong to their respective owners.**

 **So with that said, let's get going, shall we?**

 **XXXXXXXXXX**

 **Chapter 1: Settling Back Into the (In)Sanity**

 _ **Witches.**_

 _ **Humanity's trump card in the war against the mysterious beings known only as Neuroi, Witches were magically-attuned humans, mostly girls in their ranks, who took on the Neuroi in the sky using specially-designed devices known as Striker Units. Designed by Doctor Ichirō Miyafuji, these devices amplified a Witch's powers and made flight possible.**_

 _ **However, while there are a lot of female Witches, it was extremely rare to see a male with magical abilities, and no one had ever seen one take on Neuroi in battle due to the severely handicapped magic abilities a male Witch exhibited.**_

 _ **However, there was one man who defied all these expectations and survived: the Neuroi Witch.**_

 _ **There were other male Witches who had taken to the battlefield and showed potential (a notable example would be Sergeant Draco Leonardo Dracon, a boy who joined because of the Neuroi Witch's deeds), but the Neuroi Witch was unique because of two things.**_

 _ **First, he was so far the only human who was able to maintain control over a Neuroi core and was even able to use it to aid him in battle via his Neuroi Mode. Other attempts to replicate this with machines were varied: first was the Warlock, a machine whose production had been headed by General Trevor Maloney. While the initial test run for it worked out spectacularly (to the general's pride), when it was used to try liberating Gallia it managed to destroy all Neuroi in the area before being taken over by the core that was inside it, and the machine was stopped by the Neuroi Witch and (once it fused with the sunken**_ Akagi ** _) the Strike Witches. The next attempt was the Magic Dynamo, which had improved on the Warlock's initial concept and had been fitted on the_** Yamato _ **for Operation Mars. While this one managed to not turn on humanity, the plan had hit a hitch in the execution, and the Neuroi Witch (who had been on board to make sure that the ship didn't turn) decided to fire the cannons himself.**_

 _ **The other thing that made him unique was the fact that he was not from this world.**_

 _ **Anyways, his name has been made famous around the world, and after he revealed his living status a while after getting his magic back he's refilling the shoes he had left close to two months ago.**_

 _ **His name...is Roland Sage.**_

XXXXXXXXXX

 _Unknown POV_

I simply sat behind my desk as I watched one of my men bring in the former general Trevor Maloney into my office. From the information I had been given, he had been stripped of a few ranks and had been imprisoned temporarily for the military coup he had tried pulling when he attempted to replace the Strike Witches at the time with the Warlock unit to test the idea. I only say "temporarily imprisoned" because a few days ago I had sent one of my men to negotiate for Maloney's freedom. Which simply went under the table, according to what the report I received after the deal said.

His release is a matter we feel the public shouldn't worry about.

Anyways, I suppose that my men had also gotten the idea of giving him his uniform back...including his original rank.

He may have lost his original rank after his coup was thwarted, but it was the only uniform we had at the time. We'd have to correct it to account for his new rank.

"Former General Maloney is here, sir," the man who escorted Maloney told me with a bow before he left the room to give us some privacy.

Maloney took one good look at me and asked in a rather irritated tone, "Why did you call me back here? Last I recalled, you had sent me a phone message when I tried calling you saying that I was no longer working with you. So why the change in tune?"

I sighed before I replied with, "As usual, you worry about yourself more than you do everyone else, and your image isn't exactly sterling."

"My image was something I couldn't afford to lose at the time. You don't have much room to talk about that sort of thing, though...Duke."

"What can I say? I work best in secrecy." You can call me "Duke" if you really want a name: everyone in my organization does. Hell, the only one who knows my true name is myself, and I'm not going to be telling you it anytime soon. I don't make it a point to go on a real-name basis myself, hence the name "Duke".

"...So what do you want now, Duke?"

"I won't bore you with the exact details, but are you aware of Captain Roland Sage's achievements so far?"

Maloney lowered his eyebrow. "I've been sitting in a prison for about nine months, Duke. I didn't have much time to keep up with the military. And even if I did, what makes you think I would pay attention to him?"

I sighed. "In that case, let me put it simply like this: we need you, Maloney."

The man huffed as he crossed his arms in front of his chest. "Why do you want me now? I'm sure one of your men around here can help you out, so why ask me?"

"Because this is a top-secret project that only an elite few around here know about."

Maloney stopped as he looked at me with slight curiosity. "How top-secret are we talking?"

"Completely top-secret, Maloney. Not even the people I have working on it know the full picture; only I know the whole thing."

"And you want me?" The former general sounded like he would have found amusement elsewhere.

I smiled slightly. "You sound like you're unamused, Maloney."

"Why shouldn't I be? You arranged for my release just to bring me here and present me with the chance to work on a project that's so top-secret that you don't even tell your own people working on it about your true intentions. I may have an eye for ideas that would improve my standing in the military, but even I can't simply go along with it. Not without a good reason to."

"I see...how about this: if you decide to cooperate with us for this project, then I will tell you enough about the project to help you focus on your new duties. Should you accept."

Maloney seemed to consider this for a moment before he looked at me with a frown. "I guess it's not much of a deal right now...I want to add something to the deal: I want whatever information you've got about the Neuroi's capabilities, including any secret files on Sage and his core."

I was curious, but I didn't show it to the man. "Something tells me you want Roland to pay for that day."

"Damn right I do. I should have just killed him when I had the remote." While that would have made things a lot easier for us all, I can't exactly say that it was a good idea even if Maloney had gone through with it: last I checked, his teammates would have probably killed him if they had the chance once he used the remote to terminate Roland. That was, if the Britannian military didn't get to him before they did. Besides, I still needed him alive, hence why it was a bad idea either way.

I sighed again before I stood up. "Alright. I will have one of my men compile a file with all the information you wish to see. In return, you will not make a move on Roland until such time as I deem it necessary to do so in addition to your duty helping out with the project. Do you agree with these terms?"

Maloney looked a little irked that I added in the part about him being unable to harm Roland at the moment but chose not to act on it. "I guess we have a deal then, Duke."

With Maloney now on the project team, everything should be able to proceed as I wanted them to...

And all it took was one boy...

XXXXXXXXXX

 _Roland's POV_

"Hey, Roland-kun. How are you this morning?" Yoshika Miyafuji asked me as I stepped into the dining hall, a sleepy look on my face. She was busy cooking something in the kitchen attached to the area.

"Rather fine, Yosh," I told her as I gave off a yawn. "Just had to adjust to sleeping next to Minna again. You'd think that being away from her for almost two months would make me want to sleep with her near me badly, but not really." I then noticed and saw that no one else was in the dining hall. "Uh, why aren't the others up yet?"

Yoshika chuckled a bit before saying, "Well, it's only six in the morning." She then turned to look at me really quick. "Check your watch, silly."

As the little Fuso Witch focused back on her cooking, I glanced down at my watch and saw that it was 6:06 in the morning. "Ah. Must have forgotten to check the time before waking up. Could have used a little more sleep, to be honest."

"Well, you'd best not, Roland-kun. Not unless you don't mind forgoing breakfast."

At the mention of breakfast, I perked up quickly. "No thanks, ma'am!" Jeez, I swear I'm getting spoiled by you girls now. I think Draco feels the same way, but I'm not sure.

Oh right, introductions: for those who have no idea who I am, my name's Roland Sage. Captain in the Liberion Army, Minna-proclaimed (I'd say "self-proclaimed", but Minna's the one who came up with the nickname in the first place) Neuroi Witch, and current second-in-command next to Major Heidemarie Schnaufer (she and I are in the same position, so it's a cooperative thing).

Also, I'm the resident oddity magnet or whatever the term is right now.

"Oh, right," I decided to try asking. "Did you get any sleep in the hangar?" Apparently, I was lucky in that Minna asked me to sleep in her room (though with the way the others were sleeping I wanted to sleep in the hangar too for at least a night) because, and I'm quoting her here, "We have two months of cuddling to catch up on."

Man, that's one of the weirder things I've heard (I think Mio's comment when we first started in Romagna is still _numero uno_ on my list), and coming from Minna of all people?

Right, I'm getting off-track, aren't I?

Anyways, we had some of the men on the base lend their sleeping bags for the others to use, and we managed to find a few tents in one of the shipments, so the others (that would be everyone but myself, Minna, Heidemarie, Gertrud, and Erica) were using those to camp out in the hangar. At least until their rooms were ready to be occupied (something about moving beds around and things of that nature...I lost track, to be honest).

"It was slightly cold in there," Yoshika told me. "I'm fine, though. I had Shizuka and Lynne with me."

More specifically, you had Lynette Bishop with you. Shizuka Hattori was just a add-on. I didn't dare try correcting her, though. "That's good to hear. So do you happen to know the sleeping arrangement at the moment?"

"Well, there's Shizuka, Lynne, and myself." Yoshika seemed to take a slight pause to think of any more arrangements. "Let's see...oh, Perrine and Sakamoto, Eila and Sanya, and Shirley, Lucchini, and Drakey-oops, I mean, Draco."

I raised an eyebrow. "You've picked up that nickname from Fran, huh?" I really hope Draco isn't going to raise a complaint when Yoshika accidentally calls him that.

"Yeah, sorry..."

"It's fine."

"Anyways, you better sit down. Breakfast is almost ready."

I was tempted to do just that, but then I remembered that I left my girlfriend sleeping on the bed. "I better get everyone up and ready if that's fine with you. Captain rank's duty and all that..."

"Oh. That's too bad." I think Yoshika sounded bummed out before she sighed. "Please hurry back or else it's going to get cold, alright?"

"Sure thing, Yosh." I walked out of the dining hall and navigated down the hallway, making my way to the room Minna and I were using. However, thanks to my luck, I ended up finding Mio Sakamoto standing in front of it, like she was waiting for me. "Morning, major."

"Good morning, Sage," Mio greeted me. I don't think I need to describe what her uniform looked like considering that hers and Yoshika's were the same, but seeing as I forgot to do that for the little Fuso Witch I better do that: she and Yoshika both wore a sailor uniform, a staple of the Fuso Navy Witches (I think. What did Amaki wear again?), but there was one difference between them: the one-piece swimsuit Mio wore under her uniform was white while her younger teammate of the same nationality wore a dark blue one. "Where were you just coming from?"

"The dining hall," I told her. "Yoshika's making some breakfast for us at the moment, so I figured that I'd get the others up."

Mio nodded in understanding. "I see."

I then realized that I had next to no idea how I was going to wake up the others without creating a group of cranky Witches. "Um...how exactly _are_ we going to get everyone else up?"

I swore Mio lowered her visible eyebrow as she looked at me (apparently, she's still wearing that eye patch of hers despite not having a magic eye to use). "Hmm? What do you mean 'we'?"

"Well..." I placed my right hand behind my head as I gave off a sheepish chuckle. "I don't exactly have an idea for how to wake up a group of girls and Draco in one go at the moment, so..."

Mio gave off a sigh. "You're hopeless sometimes...alright, give me a second to go grab something. You're going to go wake up Commander Minna, right?"

"That's the plan."

"Okay. Be careful, though."

"Thanks, and I will." Why is she telling me to be careful?

I opened the door and stepped inside the room.

Right, maybe I should make a better explanation of the inhabitants of the room at the moment: of course, at the moment there was Minna-Dietlinde Wilcke (my girlfriend), laying on her back, along with everyone's favorite Rottweiler, Sullivan (aka Sully). Heidemarie also shared the room with the commander, but she was off on night patrol (we needed to make a sort of schedule that can utilize her and Sanya for maximum efficiency without making either one too tired to operate at their best, an idea I had suggested and, to my surprise, got approved...if only because Minna either agreed with me or didn't have any better ideas).

Walking over to Minna's bed, I noticed that she was covered by a blue comforter. Sullivan was laying at her feet, and since I came in he's been looking at me out of curiosity. Well, he looked curious: the brownish spots above his eyebrows (I think I can call them eyebrows given that's what they remind me of) looked like they were raised in a sort of curious look.

"Minna?" I asked as I nudged her left shoulder gently with my right hand. "You awake?" Minna didn't give off a reply, so I tried again. "Commander Minna?"

This time, she did have a reply, but it wasn't at all what I was expecting: she rolled over to face me and, still asleep, managed to catch me in a hug and, for reasons I still don't know of later on in my day, thrust my head into her chest. This made me drop onto one knee.

Okay, first off: how the hell can she do that in her sleep?

Also, why me?

I mean, I know she's my girlfriend and all, but I still want to be careful with how intimate we get at the moment, something Minna also agrees with. The only issue I have at the moment concerning that, though, is figuring out if my current position was on the list of acceptable or unacceptable intimacy positions.

"I love you, Roland," Minna mumbled to herself as I tried pulling my head up for some air. I managed to get a lungful of air before she forced me back into her assets. "I love you so much."

"That's nice and all, Minna," I said in a muffled voice (hey, you try saying something normally when your face is where mine is!), "but can you let me go please? Contrary to what you may think, I still need air." I then felt Minna start rolling over, so I tried getting out of my position really quick. All I managed to do was getting a bit of air back into my lungs and turning myself around so that I didn't twist and snap my neck before her chest crashed down onto my face, the back of my head hitting the mattress with a slight thud. "Ow..."

We stayed like that for about ten seconds before I felt my lungs begging for air.

 _ **Your lungs would like to tell you that they would love it if you'd give them some air,**_ Lionelis told me. _**Just to let you know.**_

 _Lio?_ I replied mentally. _Can it, please. I'm currently busy trying to get out of someone's breasts at the moment._

 ** _Ah. Let us guess: Minna?_**

 _I'd probably get arrested in my time period if it was Lynne or Shirley. Or at the very least a severe nosebleed. But yes, it's Minna._

 ** _...You know, for not having superhuman strength as her magic ability, she's got a strong grip._**

 _Less being impressed with the grip of my girlfriend, more thinking of a plan to get her to let go._

 ** _Alright, alright. Yeesh...let's see, what to do if you have a girl clinging on to you..._** I swore that I was hearing the sounds of computer keyboards being typed on (maybe it's my lack of oxygen at the moment that's making me hear that sort of sound).

 _A little faster please..._ I think I'm starting to lose consciousness.

 _ **Give us some time. We've got a lot of data to go through right now.**_

Not thinking clearly, I decided to see how far into her fantasy (I'll call it that for now) Minna was in. Of course, without thinking I went for the first thing I could reach: her breasts. Well, one of them: my right hand was unable to get to its position, so it was up to my left hand. Resting on her right breast, I squeezed it lightly.

"Please be a little more gentle, dear..." Minna said. At least, that's what Lionelis told me she said; with me falling unconscious, I swore I heard something different. Like, way different. Something with the deed (I would have blushed, but no oxygen, remember?).

Okay, not working...next! Quickly!

My right hand flew to the comforter and flicked it off Minna before said hand landed on her rear. This at least got a reaction from her, but it wasn't much: due to the suddenness of it, she started rolling over my chest before she started falling off the bed. Thinking quickly, I slipped my right arm under her legs to catch her bridal-style as my left arm went behind her back. The good news was that, as she was falling, Minna managed to relinquish her grip on my head, and I took in a massive lungful of sorely-needed air as my vision started coming back into focus. Also, Sullivan, having been still laying on the bed when this was going on, got up and off the bed as quickly as a dog who hadn't had time to stretch could go before he decided to get his stretching done while he seemed to wait for us.

Well, I think he's stretching. All I see is a slightly dark fuzz that's slowly coming back into focus.

Once I could see clearly, I looked at the doorway...

Only to see a sleepy-eyed Heidemarie standing there, like she had seen something she shouldn't have. Well, a sleepy version of it (I have no idea right now!). That, and she seemed to have a blush on her face.

"Major?" I asked her. "How long have you been standing there, ma'am?"

"About two minutes," Heidemarie told me sleepily. The blush was on her face still.

"And how much did you see?"

"About two minutes."

About two minutes...

Crap...she saw pretty much the whole thing, didn't she?

Before either of us could say anything else, Minna chose now to wake up.

"Uwah..." she said as she yawned. "Morning, Roland..."

"M-morning, Commander Minna!" I replied a little sheepishly. "Sleep well?"

"Yeah..." Minna then looked at Heidemarie and her blushing face. "Why are you blushing, major?"

"Well, see..." Heidemarie started before she turned around, her blush getting the better of her.

Minna looked confused at Heidemarie's current display before she realized where she was: in my arms. "Hold on, why am I...?"

"Long story," I replied, "but in your 'fantasy'...you kinda..."

Minna must have understood exactly what I was getting at because now she was blushing lightly. "And Major Heidemarie...?"

"Yeah, she apparently saw the whole ordeal I went through..."

Minna's blush exploded into a deeper hue. "Oh dear...that means that...you...grabbed...my..." My girlfriend stopped, and it was then that I realized that she must have felt me touching her.

"Um...yes?"

Minna's reply was rather...loud, to say the least. And it ended up hurting one side of my face thanks to a harsh slap.

And my morning is off to a great start...yay...

XXXXXXXXXX

 _Shizuka's POV_

I wonder if it's a sort of routine thing when the Strike Witches are together?

I'm asking that because I had been sleeping soundly in the tent I shared with Miyafuji and Bishop when someone (it sounded like a girl) screamed. This seemed to have gotten me startled as I bolted upright, ready to go see what the matter was about. As far as sleepwear went, I was wearing one of Roland's shirts, a long-sleeved black shirt.

Until I heard Captain Barkhorn say "I'm thinking it has to do with Sage. No surprise, I guess." I don't know who she was talking to, but I can only guess that she had been going around and getting some of us up. Or, since the yell occurred, see if everyone's got up.

Huh? What do he and Commander Wilcke do in their private time exactly?

...Actually, I don't want to know!

"Uwah..." Bishop said as she sat up and yawned. She wore a white nightgown of sorts. "What's happening?"

"No idea, master sergeant," I told her. "I think Captain Barkhorn said that it had to do with Captain Sage, though."

"Oh. I think I know what might have happened."

I raised an eyebrow. "You do?"

"Yeah. You get a good idea of what could have occurred when you're a little clumsy yourself."

I sighed. "I doubt that makes sense to me, but I'll take your word for it."

XXXXXXXXXX

A while later, and Bishop and I were now in our uniforms, walking down the hallway and towards the dining hall for some breakfast.

"Hey, Sergeant Hattori..." Bishop started. "Um...can I call you Shizuka instead?"

"I guess," I told her. "I pretty much refer to Miyafuji without her rank now, so I don't really mind. She and Captain Sage seem to call me 'Shizuka' anyways, so...don't Captain Sage and Miyafuji call you by a different name?"

"Yeah. You can call me Lynne if you want."

I nodded my head. "I'll keep note of that...Lynne." It's going to be a while before I get used to referring to people without their ranks, and I wouldn't be surprised if I slipped up and called her "Master Sergeant Bishop" at one point.

We finally reached the dining room...

And was greeted to Miyafuji tending to Roland's face for some reason, Commander Wilcke standing nearby as she was watching them. There was also a Rottweiler with a tail sitting next to the chair the Neuroi Witch was sitting in, to his right. If I remember correctly, Miyafuji had told me that the Rottweiler was named Sullivan ("Sully" for short) and that it was a gift Roland had received back when they were fighting to free Venezia.

Well, I should say _he_ was a gift Roland had received...

"Um..." Bishop started.

"Do we even want to know?" I finished for her.

"It's just something my boyfriend here did earlier," the commander explained with a slight blush. "Don't worry, Miyafuji's handling it as we speak."

"Morning, Shizuka!" Miyafuji greeted us as she took a second to turn her head and look at us. When she did, I noticed that Roland had a red handprint across his right cheek. I think I also saw a slight scratch mark on said cheek. "Morning, Lynne!"

"Good morning, Yoshika and Roland," Bishop replied.

"Morning, ma'am," I added. "Morning, sir."

"You know that I can handle the injury on my own, right?" I heard Roland tell Miyafuji as she turned her attention back to the Neuroi Witch. "I have your magic in me since I copied it the morning before Operation Mars, remember?"

"You probably wouldn't be able to do it without leaving a scar or something," the Fuso pilot officer replied. "Besides, I'm learning to be a doctor, so it'd defeat the purpose if you treated it yourself."

"A normal doctor wouldn't exactly use her magic to heal a red handprint, and I'm assuming it's a handprint the way Minna slapped me, and a scratch."

"You do have a point, but either way just hold still and let me do my thing." We then watched as Miyafuji called upon her familiar and used her magic to heal Roland's injuries. Once she finished, she dismissed her familiar and examined the nonexistent damage, most likely making sure she fixed it up correctly. "There. All better."

Roland felt his right cheek and blinked. "Huh, didn't feel anything when you healed it. Thanks."

Miyafuji stepped back a bit and gave off a salute. "Yoshika Miyafuji, medic extraordinaire, at your service."

Roland tilted his head to the right a bit. "Um, maybe we should leave the corny comments like that to a professional."

The Fuso pilot officer stomped the ground with her right foot gently as her hands flew to her sides. "You're no fun, Roland-kun."

"It was just a suggestion. I don't really care too much if you do that sort of thing."

"Anyways," I decided to say, "when's breakfast, Miyafuji?"

"I'm glad you asked!" the pilot officer replied cheerfully. "I just finished it and was working on serving everyone when Commander Minna and Roland-kun came in."

"Why is it I feel like I know what we're having?" I heard Roland ask flatly.

XXXXXXXXXX

 _Roland's POV_

Okay, at least there were no nattō beans served with breakfast, but then again with eggs, some bacon, and toast there was not much use for it.

"You managed to make all this?" I asked as I looked at everyone's plates, each plate having a Witch in front of it (well, everyone but Heidemarie since she was sleeping currently). I sat at one of the ends of the table, near the entrance. Minna sat to my left while Yoshika sat to my right, both seated along the longer side of the table. I then looked at the little Fuso Witch. "By yourself?" I thought she was making something small, like simply eggs. Not...this.

"Yeah," Yoshika said proudly. "I figured that everyone else had been tired from the battle two days ago still, so I decided to make breakfast for everyone."

"Well, you could have at least asked for some help," Mio told her. She was seated at the other end of the table, across from me. "I know that Sage and I would have gotten up to help out."

I saw Yoshika chuckle nervously. "I didn't give that much thought..."

"Yosh, Major Sakamoto does bring up a valid point," I added. "While we don't mind you making breakfast for everyone by yourself, and in fact we thank you for doing so, but being up at...whatever time you got up isn't exactly healthy. I know you have never gotten sick, but that doesn't mean that you can avoid fatigue."

"True...sorry, Roland-kun."

I sighed. "No problem, Yoshika. No need to apologize."

"Can we eat now?" Francesca Lucchini, seated to Mio's right on the longer side of the table, asked me, sounding a little impatient. I think she was really starving or something.

"Yeah, let's eat for now."

And so we ate our breakfast, and it took a while before Francesca decided to try making some small talk.

"So, Roland-kun," the Romagnan Witch began, "how was Fuso?"

"Yeah," Charlotte "Shirley" Yeager agreed. She was seated two chairs to the right of Francesca, Draco being between the buxom Liberion Witch and her Romagnan teammate. "How was your time in Fuso with Yoshika's family?"

"Not too much," I replied with a slight smile. "We had patients at the clinic, but I usually moved boxes around or something of that nature, so there wasn't much excitement for me on a daily basis. Also looked at a few notes left behind by Doctor Miyafuji while I was there."

"And?" Mio tried.

I sighed. "Not much luck. Nothing linking me to him, sadly."

"Right. I would offer to take you to his lab in Britannia, but..."

"Yeah, Yosh already told me when I asked about it." Still a bummer that I can't find a personal journal or something.

"Oh. Well, that at least marks one thing off my list." Mio went back to eating.

"Anyways," Minna added, "How was Fuso itself?"

"Rather beautiful. And interesting. The Neuroi don't seem to be making a move against them, so it's definitely more peaceful over there."

Minna smiled. "That's good to hear."

I then turned to look at Shizuka, who was sitting to the right of Perrine, who was herself seated to Lynette's right (guess where the Britannian Witch was seated: to the right of Yoshika). Eila was sitting next to the Fuso sergeant's right side, Sanya on her other side. "Now that I think about it...how was your transfer to the unit, Shizuka?"

"Hmm?" Shizuka asked before she realized that I was talking to her. "Oh! Rather well, I guess. Commander Minna managed to convince them to let me stay here. When they asked her for a recommendation, she said that you yourself had vouched for me."

Well, that's kinda true: I did mention that having her on the team would be able to bring our rank up to our full count of thirteen able Witches (Mio, due to her loss of magic, was unable to fight like we could and so far chose to be on standby in the event I was unable to uphold my duties as one of two second-in-command members). Interestingly enough, with Heidemarie that now went past that mark by one. "I wouldn't say that I personally vouched for you...though it does explain why I had been called into Minna's office yesterday." Yeah, apparently, due to the "vouching" I had given, her original headquarters' leader called me up and asked for confirmation. After some time talking to them about it, I managed to at least allow them to accept Minna's proposal to bring Shizuka into the Strike Witches. Strange how much being the Neuroi Witch can do for you sometimes...

"Either way, I'm really grateful, sir."

I smiled slightly. "No problem, Shizuka."

"Just note that you've got some new responsibilities now since you two rejoined the team," Gertrud told me and Yoshika. She was to Minna's left, with Erica sitting between her and Charlotte. "You're an officer now, Miyafuji, and you're going to be working with Major Heidemarie as second-in-command alongside her, Sage."

"You know you can just call me 'Roland' now, right?" I tried. "We're the same rank now, and besides...we've worked together since Britannia."

The Karlsland captain looked like she was about to say something to argue against the idea but caught herself. "Bit of a fair point, but you're now part of second-in-command, so you're technically higher in authority than me."

I'm higher in authority than her because of my new position? I wonder...

Facing Gertrud, I cleared my throat and added in a tone of authority, "If that's the case...then I order you to call me by my first name whenever we are not in battle. I also order you to let me call you by your first name under the same conditions and not complain about it too much." Now, find some mental popcorn and watch what happens...

 _ **Already on it!**_ Lionelis said as I heard him munching on something.

...Wait, he's able to conjure up popcorn inside my mind? That-don't think about it, Roland! Don't think about it, you've got more things to worry about than how your mental voice of a Neuroi core does things like that.

Anyways, Gertrud's reaction was...

Erm...for some reason I was thinking that she would tell me that it didn't work like that, but there were a few things about Gertrud I had forgotten about: the first being her mindset (mind of a soldier, heart of a older sister sometimes), the second being the importance of a word like "order" to her (and now that I think about it so far, most Karlsland Witches with the possible exception of Erica), and the third...

" _Jawhol, Kapitän!_ " we heard Gertrud shout as she stood up and saluted. She then looked at us in general before she grew a huge blush and added in an apologetic tone, "I-I mean, Roland..."

...That...

All was silent for a few seconds before someone started sniggering before it turned into a full-blown laugh. When we all looked to see who was laughing, it happened to be Erica, who was on the floor laughing.

XXXXXXXXXX

 _Erica's POV_

It's rather nice to eat breakfast with a full table alongside your friends and teammates. So far, I heard Roland talking about Fuso a bit before asking Hattori about how her transfer went, which sounded rather good.

From what I understand, Miyafuji was going to be helping us fight the Neuroi for a while longer. She had apparently been in the area because she was going to a medical school in Helvetia, so Commander Minna had to ask her school to hold her spot if at all possible. They seemed to be rather nice about it given what Miyafuji had done, so the little Fuso Witch was going to fight alongside us. As for Hattori and Roland: Hattori was Miyafuji's escort, and I've already mentioned (and Roland had asked her about it) her transfer. Roland, since he was able to fight once more, was with us.

"Just note that you've got some new responsibilities now since you two rejoined the team," Trude told Roland and Miyafuji. "You're an officer now, Miyafuji, and you're going to be working with Major Heidemarie as co-second-in-command, Sage."

"You know you can just call me 'Roland' now, right?" I heard Roland try saying. "We're the same rank now, and besides...we've worked together since Britannia."

I think Trude was about to say something about it but chose not to. "Bit of a fair point, but you're now part of second-in-command, so you're technically higher in authority than me."

I blinked: um, Trude does know that she's going to open up something that she's not going to find very entertaining, right?

I watched as Roland thought to himself before he looked at Trude and, clearing his throat, announced with a tone of authority, "If that's the case...then I order you to call me by my first name whenever we are not in battle. I also order you to let me call you by your first name under the same conditions and not complain about it too much."

Trude quickly stood up and gave off a salute. " _Jawhol, Kapitän!_ " She then looked at us as a whole before she grew a huge blush on her face and added in an apologetic tone, "I-I mean, Roland..."

I blinked in surprise.

Huh? Did Roland just...?

A few seconds had passed by before the oddity of the situation caught on for me, and I started trying not to laugh. I tried holding it in to avoid embarrassing Trude further, but after a moment it didn't work out, so I started laughing uncontrollably. I even managed to get out of my chair and lay on the floor as I had my hands on my sides to keep myself from laughing too hard. At least, I think that's why someone would do something like that.

XXXXXXXXX

 _Roland's POV_

"I think you two broke Hartmann..." Mio told me as we all looked at the laughing mess that was Erica.

"Wait, how is it my fault?" I asked her. "I wasn't the one who stood up and announced, ' _Jawhol, Kapitän_ ', was I?"

"Hartmann!" Gertrud added, directing this at her laughing teammate. "What's so funny?"

It took a few seconds more for Erica to stop laughing, though she was still chuckling or something as she replied with, "Sorry, Trude, but, heh heh...I never really pictured you actually, ha ha ha...actually saluting Roland like that, ahahahah..."

I think Gertrud's blush grew a little redder. "What? That's absurd! Of course I'd salute Sa-I mean, Roland like that. I would have done it when he was a higher rank than me."

We watched as Erica stood up and got back in her seat. "Well, heh heh...you're both the same rank, so...besides, remember your thing for-"

Despite not having speed as an inherent magic ability (though last I checked they were part of the same class of magic), Gertrud managed to go from zero to thirty (approximately) in a second, reaching over and slapping her left hand on top of the Karlsland blonde's mouth quickly. "Don't you dare, Hartmann!" I think her blush was redder than how a normal human could make it.

Erica muttered something under Gertrud's hand, and Gertrud uncovered her mouth. "Fine, but we'll talk about it later, teehee..." She looked a little...mischievous.

"Please don't..." Evidently, Gertrud didn't look pleased with this agreement.

"As long as you don't talk about anything...girly around me, I don't care too much about what you two end up discussing," I told them. "Just try to keep it Pee-Gee for Fran's sake."

"Not you too, Roland..." I don't think that was what Gertrud wanted to hear from me...

"Anyways," Minna decided to say before things got more awkward for anyone, "We're staying on standby in case of an attack, but don't be afraid to relax for today at least. It'd help a lot if we're not strung up before a battle."

"Yes, ma'am," we told her.

XXXXXXXXXX

 _Heidemarie's POV_

I don't think I'm going to have a very good night patrol at the moment.

I think it might be because of the sight I was greeted with when I went to the room to rest up from last night.

While I know that Captain Sage and Commander Minna are together as a couple, I don't think that the sight of him having been...trapped inside her bosom...?

I don't really remember it too much since waking up from my sleep, but I definitely remember him asking me about how much I saw, which once I told him I think he interpreted it as "the whole thing".

Anyways, I was making my way to the hangar so that I can gear up for the night patrol. I was busy looking at a notebook I had with me to keep track of all the chats I've had with the other Night Witches. It was rather interesting since we came up with the concept for it: it's how Sanya and I became friends.

"Hey, major," I heard Captain Sage's voice say. "You're getting ready for night patrol?"

I turned around and saw the Neuroi Witch standing there alongside Sanya-wait, why is Sanya here?

"Captain Sage!" I shouted quickly as I tried not to let a blush appear on my face. I don't want to remember what I saw at the moment! "What are you doing out and about right now?"

"Don't you remember?" Captain Sage asked me, looking slightly confused. "Minna talked to you and me about the night patrol thing and the fact that we have two Night Witches for the job."

She did? I must have forgotten it once I fell asleep or something. "Sorry, must have forgotten it just now."

Sighing with a slight smile on his face, the Neuroi Witch continued with, "Right, you had some things on your mind, I guess. Anyways, we agreed that we'd have a schedule set up that utilizes you and Sanya to our best ability."

...Oh right, that schedule! "Three nights I fly, three nights Sanya goes, and one night you join the two of us just in case."

Captain Sage flashed a quick thumbs-up with his right hand. "See, you're remembering it now. I'd volunteer a little more time to night patrol per week, but I've got a schedule I've got to try maintaining. Anyways, tonight is the night I come along with you two. So shall we?"

...Don't think about it, Heidemarie...

"Alright, captain," I replied.

"Please, ma'am," Captain Sage replied as he rested his left hand on the back of his head. "Feel free to call me 'Roland' or something. Save the rank for more formal moments."

"Okay...Roland?"

XXXXXXXXXX

"So what are your experiences with night patrol, erm...Roland?" I asked Captain Sage once we entered the hangar. He was busy grabbing a few weapons for him to fight in case we need to.

The Neuroi Witch looked at Sanya before he said, "You want to tell her, San?"

"Might be better if you tell her yourself, Roland-kun," Sanya replied.

"Right..." He turned his head to look at me as I was busy getting comfortable in my Striker Unit. "I've flown with Sanya, Eila, and Yoshika for a few nights in Britannia, and I flew a few extras for more experience, but with my powers having been gone for a little over two months I need to get back in the loop on them."

"I see," I said. "Alright. I'll get going on getting into the sky."

"Okay, major. You and Sanya go ahead without me. I'll join you girls in a bit. Need to find a radio piece around here again..."

Sanya hopped inside her Striker Unit and readied her Fliegerhammer as her familiar revealed itself. Soon, we taxied over to the runway and took turns taking off into the air, me going first as Sanya joined me a minute later.

"Hey, Sanya?" I asked the Orussian Witch as we floated there, waiting for Captain Sage to fly up here. "How much do you know about Captain Sage, I mean, Roland?"

"Huh?" Sanya asked, a little confused. "Well, he's...kind. He's a little rash and definitely too worried about us, but we can do our best knowing that he worries about us that much."

"Uh-huh...so during Operation Mars..."

Sanya frowned slightly. "Heidemarie?"

I blinked. "I'm sorry! I know that it must be a touchy subject for the Strike Witches, but I was hoping to understand a bit more about what you meant by-"

The Orussian Witch's frown changed into a slight smile. "It's alright, major. About Operation Mars...it was that worry that got him in trouble at the time, but he did prevent Major Sakamoto from suffering his fate. The way he sounded when he told us that his mind was made up...he sounded sad."

"Sad?" Captain Sage has a Karlsland commander as a girlfriend, a team who seems to trust him, and the fame he's received so far. What's there to make him sad?

"I think it had to do with his past."

"His past? What do you mean?" He's never told me anything about his past, though to be fair I've only known him for a few days now.

"Well..." Sanya was interrupted by something that seemed to bother her. "Huh? Hang on..." She activated her magic antennae, me following suit, and we were greeted with the following:

 _ **Neuroi detected near the Loreley...It seems to be scouting or something...No idea right now...Yeah, we know, keep you posted if it changes.**_

As the voice went away, I looked at Sanya and asked, "Erm...any idea what that was we just heard?"

Sanya shook her head. "No idea. I think I'll ask Roland-kun about it later on, but right now he's coming in to meet up with us." She pointed down at the base, where Captain Sage was giving off a bit of a glow as he flew to get up here with us.

XXXXXXXXXX

 _Roland's POV_

As I watched Sanya and Heidemarie taxi over to the runway, I strapped my BAR onto my back and tightened the strap of my sword's sheath before I looked down and resumed looking on the table for a spare radio piece.

"Hey, there we go," I said to myself as I found one sitting by itself on the table and, taking it in my right hand, worked on fitting it to my right ear. Satisfied with the placement, I then walked out onto the runway and powered on my Striker Unit as I saw the scars on my left arm glow red. I also noticed that the left side of the bridge of my nose had a red patch of light shining on it. "Huh. I guess it's a good idea to have a sort of light right now, isn't it, Lio? Thanks." I then looked up and could barely make out the girls above. It seemed like they were waiting for me. "Alright, better-"

 _ **Neuroi detected near the Loreley,**_ Lionelis told me, cutting me off mid-sentence.

 _Wait, a Neuroi?_ I aksed him. _What's a Neuroi doing over there?_

 ** _It seems to be scouting or something._**

 _Any clue about what its target's going to be?_ I started the engine and looked down the runway. Everything's green for flight, I hope.

 _ **No idea right now.**_

In that case... _Just make sure you-_

 ** _Yeah, we know, keep you posted if it changes._**

 _At least you know what I was about to say._ I took off down the runway and pulled into the air a few seconds later, flying up towards the girls.

XXXXXXXXXX

 _Heidemarie's POV_

"Hey there, Roland-kun," Sanya greeted the Neuroi Witch as he came to a floating stop in front of us. He seemed to be giving off a red glow from his left eye as I noticed that he had some red lines along his left arm. "Um...why are you glowing like that?"

"No idea," the captain told her. "Probably for night patrol for the moment. It's usually not like this, if you'll recall."

"Anyways," I said as I shook my head. We have a night patrol to do. "Let's get going, please."

"Right."

We started flying for a bit, our attention focused on looking for any Neuroi.

The voice said that there was a Neuroi near the Loreley River, but why was it there? If it really is scouting, what is it scouting for?

"Any ideas where we could start?" Captain Sage tried asking.

"What about the Loreley?" I tried.

"The Loreley?" I think he looked confused.

I shook my head. I don't think he heard that voice, so he doesn't know what I was trying to say. "It's nothing, Roland."

"Ah. You bring up a good point, though. I think Gertrud said something about that being where the Neuroi went under to make its way across, right? Better make sure no one else gets the bright idea to do that."

"Right."

We made our way over to the Loreley, but when we arrived we didn't see anything out of the ordinary.

"Strange, thought there'd be something here," Captain Sage said. "I'm pretty sure I felt something around the area. No idea how accurate I pinpointed it, but it was around here somewhere."

"It doesn't help that your Neuroi core can be detected by the Neuroi, Roland-kun," Sanya added. "Plus, you're glowing red."

"...Good point. Maybe it was a fluke."

I activated my antennae and used it to look for any Neuroi in the area, but the only thing I kept sensing was the core of the man near us.

"I'm not picking up any Neuroi apart from your core, Roland," I told them. "Sanya?"

The Orussian Witch used her magic antennae to check for any enemies but came up with the same result: only Captain Sage's core was detected.

"Doesn't help that I can't just turn the core off otherwise I'd do it for sneaking purposes," the captain said with a sigh.

"Meaning...?" I tried.

"The last time it was shut off was immediately after Yoshika destroyed the core over Venezia, and it took my remaining magic to restart it to avoid dying. Apparently, the core has been active inside me for so long that I can't live without it." Captain Sage put his hands inside his side pockets carefully. "Such is life, huh?"

"Yeah..." He's living because of his core? That sounds like it's a bad thing to have happening right now...

We came to a stop at the boundary and I looked in the direction of Karlsland based on our position.

Still hard to believe that we'll actually have a chance to take it back, but with Captain Sage and the Strike Witches us Karlslanders can have our Fatherland back.

"Major Heidemarie?" Captain Sage asked as he and Sanya flew ahead of me and looked at me. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, Roland," I told him as I shook my head. Maybe I could...?

The Neuroi Witch looked in the direction I was looking and sighed. "So that way leads to Karlsland? Kinda difficult to go and see it in person right now. Wonder how Minna, Gertrud, and Erica feel about the fact..."

"Um, Roland?"

Captain Sage turned to look at me. "What is it, major?"

"Why did you refer to them by their first names just now? I mean, Commander Minna I can understand because you two are a couple, but why Captain Barkhorn and Lieutenant Hartmann?"

"Well, Gertrud seems to be easier on my tongue than Barkhorn, I guess. Maybe it's the fact that she and I have a sort of friendly standing with each other. As for Erica, it was something she let me call her in return for letting her read some of my letters. About the only people I refer to by rank are Gertrud and Minna if I need to be formal and Major Sakamoto because...well, I don't think she's allowed me to call her by her first name just yet in casual conversations, though I have used her name once by itself. Might never be able to say it freely, I guess, but..."

I nodded my head. "So why do you want me calling you 'Roland'?"

Captain Sage blinked (something that he couldn't really hide because of the red light he was giving off right now). "It helps me get to know you more as a person rather than some 'expendable' unit." He raised his hands and put the word "expendable" in some sort of air quotes.

"Oh. Erm...thanks...I guess."

"Don't think about what I said too much, though. Just know that you'll get to see me in combat some more at some point." I then looked at Sanya. "Anyways, let's get going. Better make sure they didn't just go around us while we were talking."

Nodding, we continued our patrol, Sanya and I using our magic antennae to pay attention for any ambushes from Neuroi. The whole time, we felt Roland as he was flying alongside us, his head panning from left to right as he looked around our surroundings in order to spot any potential problems.

I can't believe that I'm working with the Neuroi Witch himself, but so far he seems different than what the newspaper makes him sound like: he's rather nice. A bit odd to understand, but he really means well.

Though I can't help but think about what Sanya told me concerning his behavior: he's a bit rash?

I know that he did get angry when we were repelling the Neuroi ambush a few days ago, but was it because he wanted to end it quickly or because his friends and girlfriend were in the danger zone?

I have a feeling that I'll find out more about him myself as we go along around here...

 **XXXXXXXXXX**

 **And that's the end of the first chapter of** _Strike Heroes 3: Global Revengeance_ **.**

 **First off, as stated above, I have a few more things to say before I end this chapter: like I said, this is going to have its chapters be the longest out of all the entries in the main series. I'm going to try shooting for at least ten thousand words per chapter, which across twenty-four chapters is going to be a lot of words (note that this number includes the notes at the beginning and end of each entry, so the actual chapter might be a little shorter than the amount I gave. You have been warned...).**

 **Another thing I wanted to point out is this: as I said earlier, I'm going to be depending on you guys, the readers, to let me know how I'm doing so far. If you wish to give me ideas for the story, please don't be afraid to either put it in your review or inside the forum (go ahead and make a new thread if you want: I don't mind). If you want to make sure I get it personally without anyone seeing it, you can also PM me your idea. Just know two things: one, any ideas you send me may not be used. It's not because I don't like the idea you submit, but rather because I don't want my story to stray from the path I wanted to try making. This series is the first series I made for the site (though it's not the first fanfic I ever wrote, this is one of the series I'm proud of having authored) and has taken priority over all else at the moment, so (I might sound a little protective of it) I want to make sure the ideas can be fitted into the story.**

 **The third thing I wanted to talk about is the rate of updates for this story: I am going to go an update once every two weeks. While this is a rather huge departure from me posting an update every week (or three days in the case of the first story), this gives me some time to not only create more chapters without being placed into a period of rushing things out but also gives me a chance to update other stories I'm working on. If I happen to forget to update at the appointed time, please don't panic: I'm most likely trying to get a chapter ready for you guys to read.**

 **...Now, if I happen to forget about it for more than about a month, _please_ remind me that I have a chapter to get up and I will be sure to get it done and up within about a week (it's happened before, so I want to avoid it as much as possible).**

 **Let's see, anything else? I guess not...**

 **Anyways, please read and respond and let me know what you thought of this first chapter in the next entry of Roland's saga.**

 **Thanks, and I will see you guys in the next update, and with that we conclude "Road to Revengeance Week".**


	2. Sleep Deprivation? And a New Threat Too?

**Hello, and welcome to the next chapter in** _Strike Heroes 3: Global Revengeance_ **.**

 **I think this story's first chapter now has the most reviews left for a chapter, so I wanted to say thanks for the support. I hope you continue to read and enjoy the story along the way, but also remember that I will take note of any feedback you have.**

 **...Also, at least half of the reviews had a common theme to them.**

 **Anyways, let's get to the reviews from the last chapter:**

 _Gamerman22_ **: Thanks for the review.**

 _kh2996_ **: That part is at least half-true: an enraged Roland in the second stage of Neuroi Mode is not someone you want to be ticking off (if the climax of** _WoF_ **is anything to go off of). And while there are other countries that need to be liberated, Karlsland is the closest one. Plus, it's the Karlsland Witches' homeland, so Roland's going to have a lot on his plate.**

 _Empty Promise_ **: Thanks for the review, and if it does occur (won't confirm or deny) I'll just have Roland plead the fifth. Or something...I think I can have him issue a plea of insanity (It'd be somewhat true given his situation). Apart from that, thanks for the review.**

 _Aviat0r_ **: These are rather good predictions for what will be going on. Again, I won't confirm or deny any of them, but you're right in that Duke wants Roland unharmed for unknown reasons. Plus, the part about him getting into awkward situations, but probably not as frequently as you'd think.**

 _Karl the Artillery Piece_ **: Actually, that would make some sense based on what I know from reading your story. As for the last bit, I am going to guess that you have returned home since the last chapter was posted, so welcome back to the series and I hope your return was safe.**

 _kineke13_ **: Thanks for the review. It was a bit weird trying to write Heidemarie as believable as I could (at that point in time, I only knew her character from the wiki and the movie, plus the first of the OVA episodes that Project FILA will be covering), but I did note that there was some similarity between hers and Sanya's personalities, so it became a little easier.**

 _Redcollecter (Guest)_ **: Yes, it's a lot of words. I do enjoy it, though...sometimes it's hard to write up that much and avoid making the chapters too long-winded or something.**

 _NickelOnTheChessBoard_ **: (O_O) ...That's a...rather creative way to put it...anyways, thanks for the review and I hope you enjoy the next chapter.**

 **Alright, those replies are now for now, so let's get this chapter on the road...**

 **XXXXXXXXXX**

 **Chapter 2: Sleep Deprivation? And a New Threat Too?**

 _Roland's POV_

Man, that totally sucked...

 ** _Tell us about it..._** Lionelis told me as I stumbled down the hallway next to Heidemarie, who seemed to be moving at a more normal pace (I guess she's been used to night patrol, so she wasn't was tired as I was). _**We were so hoping to see what Neuroi was trying to scout around here...**_

 _Lio?_ I asked as I felt my right shoulder bump into the wall. This startled me a bit as I stopped. _Why are you interrupting my narrative?_

 ** _We're in your head, Roland. Deal with it. Besides, at least you don't have to entertain yourself with repeat episodes of anime in here._**

 _Yeah...still trying to figure out how you've managed that..._

"Roland?" Heidemarie asked me as she chose to stop and look at me. Man, is it just me or does she look a little cute when she's sleepy?

Wait, what the hell am I saying? I've already got Minna!

...Still, I keep forgetting that I'm inside an anime world with a bunch of cute girls sometimes...

"What is it, Major Heidemarie?" I asked as I pushed myself off the wall and continued stumbling down the hallway. I am going to smack Lionelis around the next time he decides to activate that red glow when I go on night patrol from now on: that, combined with the Striker Unit of mine being on, seemed to have wasted lots of magic. Being tired both magically and physically, I wasn't able to even keep myself upright.

"Are you alright?" the major tried. "I think you're making yourself a little too tired right now..."

"I'm fine, ma'am..." I managed to find the room I had wanted and groggily saw that Minna was still sleeping.

What time is it anyways?

...

Don't know, don't really care right now. I just want to lay down for a bit and take a _really_ long nap.

As Heidemarie went to her bed and (I guess) got dressed to go to sleep, I stumbled over to Minna's bed and tripped, sending my face into the commander's stomach. I didn't even bother trying to get dressed: besides, what was the point if I was going to just get up some time later.

I think I felt Minna give off a slight jerk, but I think that was because I had fallen on top of her while she was sleeping.

Either way, my body just shut down, desperate to get some sleep...

XXXXXXXXXX

 _And I'm back at the grassy plane (I know, it should most likely be 'plain', but here it's not as easy as you think. Plus, bite me: I'm trying to recharge here)._

 _Back with the familiars that Lionelis had said I accumulated in here as mental representations of the Witches whose powers I had copied._

 _Back with the core who's using a modified likeness of me to communicate to me here._

 _"Rough night patrol?" Kuji asked me as he sat down next to me._

 _...And back to the only familiar I've met so far that I can actually have a decent conversation with._

 _"Please don't get me started, Kuji..." I told him as I sat down on the grass next to him and laid down._

 _"That bad, huh?" Kuji added as he chose to walk onto my chest. For a "small" dog, he weighs a bit._

 _"Heidemarie and Sanya didn't seem to find any Neuroi to confirm Lio's observations, something I'm a little annoyed at." I then looked at the mameshiba (I had been coming here ever since I got to St. Trond when I fell asleep, so it was only natural that Kuji had to...inform me of his breed, and by "inform" I mean "have a rather biting retort to me accidentally calling him a chihuahua", and by that, well...he decided to take a bite of my vest and tug on it, refusing to let go until I got his breed right). "Speaking of Lio, where is he?"_

 _"He's a bit busy right now. Said something about checking a few things out in his database."_

 _I sighed. "Anime?"_

 _This time, Kuji sighed. "Anime. I managed to watch some with him. I think he said it was called 'Sorcerer Hunters' when I asked for the title of the last one I started watching with him."_

 _I blinked. "And?"_

 _"You seen those boobs, Roland-san? I mean, no disrespect to Yoshika-san, but those two girls would probably blow even Shirley out of the water." For some reason I swore that he had a sort of perverted quality to his face._

 _...Wait, how can a dog look like a-don't think about it! You're just asking for trouble! "Been a while since I actually watched it but..."_

 _The mameshiba then laid down on top of me. "Yeah, I get bored here. Besides, I feel sorry for my other self."_

 _"Your other self? Why?"_

 _"He doesn't know what he's missing..."_

 _Now I'm confused. "You're Kuji, aren't you?"_

 _"Yes and no. We're not exactly the same like that, Roland-san. We both share the same memories but...you and the other Witches whose familiars you have here need to be asleep around the same time, and by that I don't mean that you all have to fall asleep at ten for instance. All you have to do is be asleep during the time they're asleep. Anyways, you were out on night patrol when Yoshika-san went to bed, so I couldn't sync up with my physical self."_

 _"...Huh?"_

 _Kuji growled in irritation. "You have to be sleeping within Yoshika-san's sleep period for me to refresh my status."_

 _"...I'll just take your word for it and leave it at that." I then yawned. "I'm still concerned about the lack of Neuroi at the moment..."_

 _"You and at least everyone else around here, Roland-san."_

 _"Not like that, Kuji. I mean...I know that Minna once said that we don't know what exactly the Neuroi think, but sometimes...I think there's a pattern that I'm not getting. Like there's something that's going to spell someone's death soon."_

 _"You're worrying about it too much, Roland-san."_

 _I raised my head to look at the mameshiba. "You're awfully calm for a familiar whose Witch was nearly killed approximately three days ago."_

 _"And you're awfully calm for someone who's stuck with a Neuroi core inside his body. One that, mind you, is busy keeping you alive organ-wise."_

 _I didn't have anything to counter that with. I really didn't... "Touché, dawg."_

 _Kuji raised a canine eyebrow. "'Dawg'? I'm going to assume that's a slang word or something."_

 _Right, I don't think he knows what that words mean... "Forget I said it. Anyways, I don't want to let anyone die here, but I also know that if Heidemarie and Sanya, one girl who's a teammate and friend and the other someone who's worked with Minna, didn't detect any Neuroi apart from Lio then there probably wasn't a threat around."_

 _"Who knows, but just relax, Roland-san. You keep acting like the girls are going to die if you fail to kill the Neuroi, which to be fair is a valid fear, but the truth is that the girls are just as worried about you as you are about them. I'm sure Sanya and Heidemarie are harboring some doubts of their own about the validity of their scans."_

 _I sighed. "You might be right. But..."_

 _"Tell you what: how about we go and get some rest so that you're ready for-"_

 _I suddenly felt the plane shake violently as a boom was heard off in the distance._

 _"What the hell was that?" I asked. "An earthquake?"_

 _"That didn't feel like it was from around here," Kuji replied. "Felt like it came from the real world."_

 _"The hell's able to make this place rumble from there?"_

XXXXXXXXXX

I opened my eyes quickly in response to the commotion from earlier and bolted out of bed, making my way to the door that I guess Minna closed to give me and Heidemarie some peace while we slept off our patrol.

Speaking of Heidemarie, she didn't really seem to move a lot. Like she's heard loud noises like that before and just shrugged them off.

Hard to tell, though...

Opening the door as quickly as I could, I was soon treated to...

Francesca amid a bunch of tools on the floor in front of the room?

"Fran?" I asked as calmly as a guy who's just been bolted awake by a loud noise and running on thirty minutes of sleep (no, really: I checked my watch once I opened the door and apparently I wasn't asleep for long. Thought I was out for longer than that...) could muster. "What the hell are you doing, making noise this early?"

"Sorry..." the Romagnan Witch only groaned as she lied there on her chest.

XXXXXXXXXX

Sighing, I handed Francesca, who was sitting on a chair in the dining hall, a makeshift ice pack I had made from some napkins, a washcloth, and a small block of ice as I worked on patching her up as best as I could (no idea where Yoshika was at the moment, and I'm fairly certain that she's busy training with Mio alongside Perrine, Lynette, and possibly Shizuka) using what little magic I could supply to use the healing spell I copied from Yoshika. The best I could get was healing a few scrapes from the fall and a bruise from where she had landed on a wrench, the bruise being on her left thigh. The only thing I couldn't fix was a small bump on her forehead from her hitting the ground, which was what the ice pack was for.

"Why were you even carrying a lot of tools anyways?" I asked as I went into the kitchen and dug around for something to help me stay awake for a bit. Finding nothing useful, I settled for having Lionelis provide me with a small burst of adrenaline. That wasn't the best thing to do but it was better than falling asleep midsentence.

Coming back out of the kitchen, I watched as Francesca looked at me in slight worry.

"I was collecting and handing some of the mechanics some tools," the Romagnan Witch explained. "Well, Shirley to be more precise, but..."

Yawning, I took a seat and could still see Francesca staring at me.

Yeah, I guess Kuji was right in saying that the girls worry about me as much as I do about them.

"Is something wrong?" I asked.

"Are you alright, Roland-kun?" Francesca tried. "You went on night patrol, right? Shouldn't you be sleeping it off or something?"

"Don't worry about me too much. I've got my core to help me keep awake for a bit, but you're right: I really need some sleep."

"...So why aren't you sleeping still?"

"Other than you waking me up by tripping and making a lot of noise? I'm a little worried about something from the patrol..."

"Ah. What about?"

I told her what had transpired last night, being careful to leave out Lionelis speaking to me about it: I'm not sure if it's a good idea to tell them that I can talk to my own core right now. Or that I gave him a name (I guess I can call it 'him').

"I see..." Francesca replied simply as she lowered her head as if in deep thought.

"Fran?" I tried. What is she thinking?

"Maybe a bath...cold water...nah, your ideals and all that...hmm, what to do to keep you busy..." She then snapped her fingers as she got up and, with the makeshift ice pack, ran out of the dining hall. "I'll be back!"

"Francesca!" I tried before she was out of earshot. Bored, I put my head on the table and dozed off for a few minutes before Francesca came back in and set something on the table in front of me, making me look up and raise my head. I noticed that she didn't have the ice pack with her. Also, the bump on her forehead was gone.

I guess she ran into Yoshika and got that bump healed really fast...

"I want to play some chess!" the Romagnan Witch announced proudly.

I could only stare at her as I lowered my eyebrows and asked, "Really?"

XXXXXXXXXX

 _Francesca's POV_

"Do you even have any idea how to play chess?" Roland asked me as he watched me place the chess pieces onto the board, the white pieces going to him while I took the black pieces.

"Not a lot!" I replied as I soon held the last piece to be placed, a white piece that looked like a horse. "Though I think the horsey looks a bit cute. Besides, I never played enough to bother memorizing the rules, so..."

"It's a chess piece, Fran." Roland then sighed. "I can try teaching you how to play, but it really depends on what you know and what you don't know as well as how much memory loss I'm going to be under until I can get more sleep."

"Okay." I then placed it in the empty spot. "All set to play!"

Roland looked at the board and sighed. "Francesca, I guess you don't really set up chess boards a lot, huh?"

I tilted my head to the left a little. "What are you talking about, Roland-kun?"

Roland pointed along his back row: while I knew that the pawns went ahead of the other pieces, the rest were a bit...well, the castle-looking pieces were on the ends, and the king and queen pieces were in the middle. Next to the castle pieces were the ones who reminded me of a priest for some reason, followed by the horses next to them. The same pattern was repeated when I did my side. "First, let me remember...what corner's to your right?"

I looked down at the corner of the board where he asked me about and saw that it was white. "White."

Roland looked like he was running my answer through his memories before he said, "Alright, that's right. Now, your pieces are kinda off. The rooks, the castle-looking ones, in your case, are in the corners, which is correct. The knights, or horses for you, are situated next to them, and the bishops or...whatever you're going to call them for the moment, next to them. Now, where's your queen?"

"About the middle."

"Not like that...maybe I should clarify: what color square is it on?"

"Um..." I looked down and saw it was on a white square. "White?"

"Since you're using the black pieces, you need to have your queen on a square of the same color as it." He then picked up the pieces that were misplaced and moved them around like how he had told me. "I had to learn that from one of my teachers in middle school. He ran the chess club alongside another teacher."

"I see..." I then frowned slightly. "You really don't have much problems in your childhood, do you?"

Roland looked a little concerned...or as much as his tired state would allow him. "Not too much, but I was about the same from middle school to now. Course, I did have my moments." He then clapped his hands. "Well, better get started before I fall asleep. Maybe I'll drop unconscious, now wouldn't that be good right now?"

I nodded my head. "Alright. Hang on, let me adjust my side really quick." I then placed the pieces as Roland explained to me, setting my king in the last empty square on my side. "That's right, right?"

Roland looked at my side and nodded quickly. "Yeah. Now, let's see how well you do against me when I'm sleep-deprived."

XXXXXXXXXX

"...Not much, I guess," Roland added as he checkmated me about thirty turns later (all the while explaining to me how to move some of the more advanced pieces around properly, like the knights, as he called them. I still say "horses"). "That was rather good for a novice player, though. Should we try again?"

"Yeah," I replied. While it's not Shirley and her boobs, at least I can't say that I'm bored right now.

We set up our pieces again as we got ready to play again. "Try to consider how you move the pieces as well, alright?"

"Alright."

"There you are, Lucchini!" Charlotte said as she and Draco stepped into the dining hall, the buxom Liberion Witch looking like she had gotten some dirt on her face. "We've been looking everywhere for you!" She and Draco then noticed Roland. "Roland?"

"Morning, I guess," Roland told them.

"Why are you up? Shouldn't you be sleeping right now?"

"Well..." I watched as Roland placed a hand on the back of his head lazily. "See...I had something on my mind, so I couldn't really sleep comfortably. Also, Francesca falling on the ground with a lot of tools."

"Oh my!" Shirley then looked at me. "Are you alright, Lucchini? You're not hurt anywhere, are you?"

"Not anymore," I told my orange-haired friend. "Roland-kun took care of most of it, but I had to go find Yoshika for my forehead."

Shirley sighed in relief. "That's good to hear."

"So what are you two doing right now?" Draco asked us.

"Some chess," I told him. "Roland-kun's taught me a bit more about it."

"That's nice." To Roland, he added, "You sure you're alright, sir?"

"Yeah," the Neuroi Witch replied. "I'll just take a nap after lunch. I'll just treat it like it was the Fourth of July back when I was younger."

I looked at Roland and asked, "Fourth of July?" I think I heard that term before, but I thought it was just a date. What did Roland refer to when he said that?

"Independence Day, at least for us. In our timeline, we declared our independence from England in Seventeen Seventy-Six, on that day."

"Ah." I then looked back at the chess board and got an idea. "Hey, Shirley and Drakey?" I'm pretty sure Draco nearly groaned at the nickname. "Want to play chess with us?"

"Chess is a two-people game," Shirley told me quickly.

"Oh...well then, how about we take turns?"

"What about teams? Me and you versus the boys."

"Wait, what?" Draco asked quickly.

"Come on, it'll be fun."

"I'd ask if you heard about the idea I had for Tina and Erica back in Romagna from our resident blond-haired Karlsland lieutenant herself, but I'm too tired to bother asking and plus I probably don't want to know," Roland added. "Either way, sure...I'll bite."

XXXXXXXXXX

"What?" Shirley asked as she and I watched as Roland and Draco both decided to checkmate us about ten moves later. "How did you two manage that?"

"Luck?" Roland tried.

"I'm serious: two girls who got sleep versus two guys, one of who is working on however long you were asleep before getting up. How?"

"Like Captain Sage said, luck?" Draco added. "Then again, you seem to make your choices a little faster than you probably should."

"At least you didn't lose to Gertrud right now," Roland said before yawning. "I'm sure she wouldn't let you live it down very easily."

"Speaking of that...where _is_ Barkhorn?" Shirley asked.

I shrugged my shoulders as I said, "No idea. I was running tools for a bit and playing chess recently."

"She didn't seem to be in her room or the hangar," Draco added. "Really, where is she?"

XXXXXXXXXX

 _Gertrud's POV_

"Why are we here right now anyways, Hartmann?" I asked as Hartmann and I sat out on the edge of a lake that had been near the base, our Striker Units resting against a fallen log. "You know that I need to get some things done back on the base."

"You can afford to relax for a bit, Trude," Hartmann told me as she was busy playing with something (I think it was a crossword puzzle, but I can't tell. Though it might be the end of the world or something if _Hartmann's_ doing a crossword puzzle at the moment). "Besides, you haven't had much time to unwind since the ambush."

...That's surprisingly true, but that was a few days ago! Right now we're on duty! "Still, I can't just rest when a Neuroi can pop out at any time, or have you forgotten that we don't have a schedule for their attacks figured out yet?"

"It really sounds like you're doubting the others' ability to handle it well."

I blinked. "What? Hartmann! You know that we can handle the Neuroi on our own or with each other, no matter who's fighting!"

"Still, you sounded like you were doubting. Now...you happen to know a word that starts with three letters and has this definition?" She then showed me her crossword puzzle, pointing a pencil she had borrowed from Miyafuji at the definition she wanted to figure out.

I could only stare at my blond-haired teammate. "...What?"

XXXXXXXXXX

 _Francesca's POV_

"No idea," Roland said as we set up for another game.

Suddenly, someone's stomach growled.

"Okay, who is it?" Shirley asked as she looked at each of us.

"Might be me considering that I didn't have breakfast yet," Roland answered, "but I didn't feel my stomach growl."

"Not me!" I said quickly.

We then looked at Draco, who chuckled nervously as he added, "Sorry. I guess I didn't eat enough or something."

"Alright, better get some lunch going," Shirley said as she stood up. "We've been playing for about an hour."

"Roland-kun and I played for two hours," I added.

"Still, it's not very good to go without a meal. It'll take a while to prepare it anyways, so..."

"Hmm? What are we having?"

Shirley smiled. "Why, some hamburgers, what else?"

XXXXXXXXXX

 _Roland's POV_

After eating lunch (provided courtesy of Francesca and Charlotte), I decided to head to Minna's office to take a nap.

...

I know what you might be thinking: why the hell am I going to go into my girlfriend's office to catch some Z's?

Well, allow me to answer that question with another question: who wants fifty dollars, cash?

...No? No _Portal_ references right now?

To be completely honest (and by that, I mean all references aside), I'm afraid that someone might come looking for me for something after a while and try the room I'm sharing with Minna at the moment. So I figured: why not crash inside my girlfriend's office for a while? Logically, I'm off doing my own thing usually, so me being in Minna's office isn't exactly the number one spot on their list of places to check.

Besides, I just need to get some sleep to make it through the rest of the day, so how bad can it be?

The answer I was given when I asked Minna about it was...actually, I'm not sure how I'd classify it. It was kinda what I was expecting, but...

"Come again?" I asked after I got the answer.

Minna looked at me and said, "If you don't want Mio or anyone else finding you while you're taking a nap, I guess the best place would be under my desk. You can't argue with the logic."

Yeah, I can't but...I can argue with the fact that I'd be in a position that I know someone else from a manga had ended up in. Also, I can complain about the spot in particular. "You sure you don't have anywhere else I could sleep that would allow me to be hidden?"

"Not really. Besides, I can take the time to enjoy your presence, even if you're sleeping."

...Okay? "Alright." I walked behind her desk and crouched down to fit under there, propping my back against the right side of the desk's underside. "Wake me up if you need anything."

"Alright, Roland." I then saw Minna walk into my vision before she took a seat and scooted in closer, presumably to do some more paperwork.

Luckily she's my girlfriend (and she's a Witch), but having a view of black panties isn't exactly a view I'd find comforting. Maybe my more male-driven side would find it stimulating, but when you've worked with girls like the ones I worked with you tend to let those feelings be suppressed a bit.

Well, I guess that only really counts for men. For any ladies out there, could you let me know about any feelings you might have if a view like this was given to you?

...I need more sleep. I mean, really, listen to me asking you something I know you can't tell me directly...

 _ **You don't bother reading the reviews, do you?**_ Lionelis asked.

...Reviews? What is this, a movie?

...

...Actually, don't answer that one please!

I closed my eyes and started dozing off, the sounds of writing utensils scratching on paper across the desk emanating from above. I only managed to sleep to that sound for about five minutes before one of my nap's banes of existence came into the office.

"Commander Minna?" Mio's voice asked.

The writing noises stopped as Minna put the utensil down and (I can only assume) looked at the Fuso major as she replied with, "Mio? What is it?"

"Did you happen to see Sage lately? I checked in your room in case, but he's not there at the moment."

"You sure he's not there? If you're sure of it, have you tried the kitchen?"

"Tried there just in case, but Miyafuji said that he went off after lunch. Didn't say where, though."

"Why do you want him anyways?"

Yeah, why do you, Mio? I haven't gotten much sleep since coming back in from night patrol, so can't you let me get a quick nap in? "I wanted to ask him about moving some boxes around."

I sighed mentally as I opened my eyes and sat up slightly straight (hard to sit up completely straight when you're under a desk this size).

Can I just tell her to let me sleep and to come back and get me in about two or three hours? Please?

I know it's going to reveal where I am, but I really want to sleep at this point, and I don't think I have enough magic left for me to do any gyrokinesis-based lifting at the moment (ironic given I have three sources of magic: Lionelis, my reserves, and my usual pool). Honestly, I can't seem to access my reserves unless I'm inside Neuroi Mode due to the energy drain, and I think Lionelis needs more energy (I think he's been pumping me with magic energy when I was playing chess in order to keep me awake as long as possible, or was it adrenaline? Need sleep...).

I got on my knees and was about to move out when Minna decided to make a move: she scooted closer to the desk and, using her legs, managed to grip my head between her thighs.

...Haru, you may have had a different view at the time, but I can see what you had to deal with that one time.

Also: Minna? Was this really necessary? You could have just as simply put a hand to block my head from coming out.

"I'm pretty sure that he's busy elsewhere," Minna told Mio. "If I see him later on, I'll let him know you asked for him."

"Alright," Mio replied. "Though...are you alright?" Something tells me Minna was looking like something embarrassing was happening (Dunno, but I'm still figuring it out on my end).

"Yeah, major. Just getting ready to get back to these papers. You know, the usual."

"Oh. If you say so."

A few seconds later, and Minna's thighs let me go, my head looking up as the commander moved her seat back and my eyes gazing at my girlfriend's red eyes as she looked at me.

"Next time, could you give a bit of a warning before you go shoving my head between your thighs voluntarily, dear?" I asked. "I'm getting used to things like that, but it really doesn't help out when I'm sleep-deprived."

"I'll make note of that," Minna replied, though I think there was a glint of mischief in her eyes when she said that. "Anyways, you can go back to sleep, Roland."

XXXXXXXXXX

I'm not sure how long it's been since I fell asleep again, but when I opened my eyes from my nap I found Minna sitting next to me as her head was resting on my left shoulder. She had a content look on her face as she slept peacefully.

She really does look cute when she's sleeping, doesn't she?

...

Maybe a better word to use would be "beautiful"?

I simply sat there as I stared at the underside of the desk, trying to keep myself entertained.

I think this desk was made of mahogany or something; I know it's wooden, but that's all I can really tell concerning it.

Anyways, I think I feel better about myself. I mean, I got some sleep, so I think I'm ready to get out and go move some boxes around. Or whatever Mio wanted me to do.

I started to move before I felt Minna grab my right shoulder. Looking at the Karlsland redhead, I saw that she looked a little sleepy.

"Roland?" Minna asked me sleepily, "Could you stay here for a while longer? I want to make sure you're alright..."

"Minna?" I replied as I gently patted her head with my right hand. "I'm fine. I'm not going to go dying on you anytime soon. I've still got our future to look forward to."

"I know, but...I wanted to be sure you aren't gone...after what happened to Kurt..."

I smiled as warmly as I could muster. "I can't die. Not yet. Besides, not only would I leave you girls heartbroken or something, but I'd probably get my ass handed to me if I did that."

"True..." She brought herself in closer, and I swore she sounded like she was taking labored breaths. "But...what about your situation? What about your world?"

...That's a valid point: I don't know what I'd do if and when I find a way back home. Would I be able to take Minna with me? Would I be able to say goodbye to my new life and the friends I met here?

Before I could give my reply, I heard someone open the door to the office. Judging by the voice, she sounded out of breath.

"Wing Commander Minna!" I heard Heidemarie call out. "We've got a problem!"

I quickly crawled over Minna and poked my head up and over the desk, and soon I could see the white-haired girl with glasses staring at me.

"What's wrong, major?" I asked quickly. "Neuroi?"

"Yes, Roland..." Heidemarie told me as I watched her face slowly turn red. "Um...where's Wing Commander Minna?"

"I'm here, major," Minna replied as she poked her head up next to me. "What's going on?"

"We've got...a Neuroi attack inbound...um..." The blush seemed to be too much for her after a while. "Why were you under the desk?"

"Huh? Well..."

"We were taking a nap," I finished for my girlfriend. "At least, I was. Anyways, where is the attack coming from?"

"Around the Loreley River..." Heidemarie replied slowly.

Crap, I guess Lionelis wasn't wrong about last night.

 _ **Course we weren't!**_ the core protested. _**You really think we'd lie to our host?**_

 _...Yeah?_ I replied simply.

 _ **...Glad to know you have confidence in us, Roland. Really appreciated...**_

"Minna, permission to head out there?" I said to Minna.

"I'm not sure..." Minna started. "Major Heidemarie, are there any Witches headed there?"

"I asked Captains Barkhorn and Yeager to head out," Heidemarie replied quickly. "They have Lieutenant Hartmann and Ensign Lucchini along with Sergeant Dracon escorting them."

"...Roland, head out there. Take two others with you and get to them."

"On it," I told her. "Major, I'd like for you to come with me." I then reached to my earpiece (I had turned it off but never took it out before I went to sleep upon returning) and sent off a radio message to the rest of the team. "Sergeant Hattori, I want you in the hangar and ready to fly out. You're with me."

"Yes, sir!" I heard Shizuka reply quickly.

"Why do you want me coming with you?" Heidemarie asked.

"...Are you fit to fly?" I asked the major.

"Yes. I have more than enough sleep to balance my energy from the night patrol, so I'm fit for duty. At least for this battle. I still wouldn't want to fly for very long."

"Then you're coming with me. Minna, if Sanya's up ask her to keep alert for any messages Major Heidemarie sends her."

"Alright," Minna replied. "Good luck, and don't die..." She looked a little down.

I flashed a toothy smile as I gave off a thumbs-up. "You kidding me? I'm the Neuroi Witch, Roland Sage. I'm hard to kill!"

The commander looked at me and smiled lightly. "Alright. Remember that, Roland."

XXXXXXXXXX

When Heidemarie and I entered the hangar, we found Shizuka geared up and ready to fight. She was sitting inside her Striker Unit, toting an MG-42 in her hands.

Note to self: need to get more diverse selection of guns. We need some more Fuso weapons for the Fuso Witches to handle comfortably. Also, need to teach them how to fire different types of guns. I think they could use the experience.

"Good to see you're ready to fly, Shizuka," I complimented the Fuso sergeant. "But I can get ready faster." I ran to the weapons rack and grabbed a BAR and Browning HP with a holster and a few spare clips in case I needed them. I never put my sword or crowbar back on my person when I got up, so they were the only weapons I had. I then ran onto the runway as Heidemarie hopped into her Striker Unit, armed with an MG-42 as well, before I powered on my Striker Unit.

 _ **Let's take on this pesky unit,**_ Lionelis told me as I started the engines and flew down the runway. Soon, I pulled up into the air followed by Shizuka and Heidemarie a few seconds later.

 _Agreed,_ I replied mentally as I looked at my teammates for now. To them, I added, "Alright, you two, stick close to me. And Heidemarie, be ready to send any status changes to Sanya and Minna."

"Yes, Roland," Heidemarie replied.

"Alright, sir," Shizuka added.

"Let's go then."

We took off in the direction of the Loreley River (I think we were headed in the right direction; just in case, I had asked Heidemarie to lead the group over there).

"What do we do, sir?" Shizuka asked me as she flew to my left. Heidemarie took to flying to my right.

"Depends," I told her as I reached for my radio, inside my right ear. Pressing a button, I sent out a call to Gertrud. "Captain Barkhorn, we're coming in."

"That's at least comforting," the Karlsland captain replied as I heard gunfire in the background. "This Neuroi's not very tough, but something's not right..."

"Stay on your toes. The same goes to the rest of you."

"Noted, Sage."

 _Lio?_ I asked the core. _How much energy would I have left if I used Jet Mode?_

 ** _Given your source, depends,_** Lionelis informed me. _**We can recharge energy, but** **we would have to give it up to power it if we used ours. If you use you own energy, you'd receive our energy, which would be used to fuel Jet Mode. So either way, you're going to have half your available amount accessible.**_

 _Okay...a simple "Doesn't matter" would have sufficed. Anyways, link power for it to me._

 ** _Alright. Doing so now...and done._**

"Grab on to my hands and don't let go until I say so," I ordered my partners as, strapping the BAR onto my back, I held my hands out to each of them.

Heidemarie looked a little timid concerning grabbing my right hand but she eventually gripped it tightly. Shizuka didn't hesitate but did look uncertain of what I was planning when she grabbed a hold of my left hand. Also, she didn't hold as tightly as Heidemarie.

I willed my Striker Unit into Jet Mode and started flying at a much faster rate as the girls held on to their only forms of support for the moment.

XXXXXXXXXX

 _Draco's POV_

"That's the last of the small fliers, right?" I asked as Shirley and I finished off a group of fliers that had been sent at us by a smallish carrier-type Neuroi (I say "smallish" because it looked smaller than the one we fought a few days ago).

"Should be," Shirley told me as she looked around. "Lucchini? Any stragglers?"

"None that I can see!" I heard Lucchini reply over the radio.

"We've almost got the main one!" Hartmann added as she soon used her magic to plow through the Neuroi, hitting the core and destroying it. "Got it!"

"Good," Barkhorn simply said as she flew over to us, Lucchini and Hartmann joining us a few seconds later. "Commander Minna, we've eliminated the Neuroi."

"That's good to hear," I heard Commander Minna reply over the radio. "Roland's coming towards you guys right now with Major Heidemarie and Sergeant Hattori."

"Can you relay the news to them?"

"Yeah...Roland? Come in, it's Minna."

"Yes, Commander Minna?" I heard Hattori's voice ask. There seemed to be wind blowing past her in the background.

"...Where's Roland?"

"He's busy flying at about faster than our Striker Units at the moment, ma'am. Plus, his hands are full holding ours."

"Oh. Well, shake your head if you can hear me, Roland."

There was a quick pause. "...He can hear you."

"Right, Captain Barkhorn said that they took care of the Neuroi. Meet up with them and report back to base."

"...Roger!"

"Commander Minna?" Major Heidemarie asked. "Are you sure there's no more Neuroi in the area?"

"Huh?" Commander Minna replied. "Why?"

"Because I've picked up another Neuroi presence, and it's not Captain Sage-I mean, Roland's."

"What?"

I swore I could hear something charging up underneath us, and when I looked down I barely saw a red light before I had to throw a shield up in order to avoid being roasted.

"Enemy encountered!" Shirley stated quickly as we split into two groups, me going with the buxom Liberion Witch and Lucchini while Barkhorn got Hartmann. "Get here as fast as you can, Roland!"

"I know!" we barely heard Captain Sage's voice say. "Give me about a minute or something! Hell, distract it until I get there!"

"If you say so, sir!" I replied as we worked on distracting the enemy. It seemed to be moving a bit too fast for my tastes, and Shirley was barely able to keep up with it even when using her magic. "Damn, I can't get a sight on it." I then set my left hand ahead of me as I snapped my fingers. " _Overblast!_ "

I missed the enemy, which decided to fly up and try striking me with a melee attack. I ended up using my shield as I held the attack back for a bit. I did get a look at it, though: it seemed to be a sort of human-shaped creature that seemed to have the body of Shirley and (for some reason) the pigtails of Lucchini. Its body was covered in Neuroi armor, and it seemed to be in a sort of Striker Unit. This one seemed to be dark red as far as the light went rather than the brighter red it'd usually shine.

"What the hell are you?" I asked it as I strafed in time to drop my shield and let it zip past me. I then aimed at it as it stopped and fired a few rounds into it...which it stopped with a red barrier. "The hell?"

The being charged me and tried thrusting a dark red wrist blade into me before I managed to swerve past it and flew away, looking behind me. It seemed to contemplate chasing me before Shirley and Lucchini fired at it, making it raise its shields again. It dodged Lucchini using her spell but was unable to strike at her unless it wanted to eat lead from Shirley. Even Barkhorn and Hartmann joined in before it decided to zoom out of its spot and somewhere around us.

Where did it go?

"Draco, behind you!" I heard Shirley shout at me.

...It's behind me, isn't it?

Before I could even turn around, something slammed into it and dragged it away from me. When we looked, we saw Roland floating there, BAR at the ready.

"Just in time," Hattori said as she and Major Heidemarie joined us.

"We can take that on now with Roland-kun here!" Lucchini cheered.

"Stay back!" Captain Sage shouted as he turned his head to look at us. "Let me handle it!"

"What?" Barkhorn asked, surprised. "You idiot! What are you thinking?"

"Let me fight it right now. You girls and Draco can figure out a strategy while I fight."

XXXXXXXXXX

 _Roland's POV_

I turned to face the creature that reminded me of that being back in Britannia (only with the body of Charlotte and the hairstyle of Francesca).

" _Who are you?_ " the being asked me. It sounded a bit like a female voice, but I can't tell who it'd remind me of at the moment.

"I am Roland Sage, Liberion Army captain and the Neuroi Witch," I replied. "What about you? What's your name?"

" _Roland Sage?_ _Oh. You're the one that had gone missing for two months, aren't you?_ " I don't think the enemy heard me very well.

"Did you even hear me? Your name, what is it?"

 _ **Be careful, Roland,**_ Lionelis warned me. _**This isn't a normal Neuroi.**_

 _You think?_ I replied as I tensed up for the incoming move.

" _Your core speaks to you,_ " the being replied. " _Interesting..._ "

My body loosened up a lot once it said that.

"Wait, you can hear that?" I asked, shocked.

"Hear what?" Shizuka asked via radio.

" _You have a Neuroi core and are able to understand the_ _Neuroi,_ " the being replied. " _What_ _made you think that it couldn't be flipped around in our case?_ "

 _ **Wait,**_ Lionelis asked, _**we can actually be heard by other Neuroi? We thought only a core's host can hear cores like us inside them.**_

The being seemed to give off a look of confusion (I think it was one). " _Is your core alright? It seemed to be acting like it never knew that fact..._ "

" _He's an amnesiac,_ " I told it in its language, choosing to say it like that to avoid making the others suspicious of Lionelis being able to speak with me. " _I'm going to ask you again: what is your name?_ "

The being's line brightened a bit. " _We are a Witch Hunter, bred to take on Witches on a more even playing field using magic and Neuroi technology. A union much like your core and yourself, only more. You can call us...Gamma._ "

Gamma? What kind of name is that for a Neuroi? "You wouldn't happen to be related to a..." I said that bit in English.

 _ **No,**_ Lionelis told me quickly. T _ **hey're not related to that robot in** Sonic Adventures DX_ _ **. Or Omega from the Sonic series for that matter.**_

Aw man, that'd at least explain the name. Thanks...

"Anyways," I decided to conclude, "I'm going to just beat you into oblivion. Don't mind me." I flicked the safety off of the BAR.

" _A bit cocky, are you?_ " Gamma asked as it readied a wrist blade on its left arm. " _Very well. As some of you humans say, 'let's dance'._ " It then charged right at me, forcing me to fly back and then barrel past it as I slung my BAR onto my back, taking care to turn the safety back on. Turning around to face it, I saw that it was nowhere to be seen.

"The hell did it go?" I asked as I snapped my head around the area, hoping to see it coming at me or something.

Nothing...

 _ **Behind you!**_ Lionelis yelled.

"Huh?" I asked as I turned around and found myself putting up a barrier to avoid being decapitated by Gamma's wrist blade. I then felt my barrier give up as it broke, but Gamma's approach had slowed down to a speed that I could simply fly back from. "Shit, why did my defense break that easily?" I then looked at my right wrist and noticed that I was missing the Barrier Bracelet. "The hell? Did I take it off or something?" I then watched as Gamma disappeared in a flash, but before it went I swore that I saw a glow of aura around it. _Lio? You see that?_

 ** _The glow?_** ** _It can't be...can it?_**

 _I guess Gamma wasn't kidding about the "magic" bit. Either way, I'm going to need to go into Neuroi Mode._

 _ **Alright, let's go.**_

"Neuroi Mode..." I started as I crossed my arms in front of me before I saw Gamma appear right in front of me in a flash and swing its wrist blade at me. I had to stop and move back before I got struck. "Dammit! Let me finish first!"

 _ ***sigh* Let us help...**_

I felt my body receive a burst of energy as I readied a wrist blade on my left wrist and blocked a second swing at me by Gamma. _Thanks._

 ** _Don't mention it. But note that you can only use the wrist blade at the moment. If you thought of entering the Second Stage at some point, you're not quite in Neuroi Mode yet, so it won't work._**

 _...Thanks for the heads-up?_

I swung a right hook and barely missed Gamma as it decided to swing at me as well. I brought in my wrist blade to block it, and we locked blades. Even with Lionelis giving me a power boost, I could feel the force behind Gamma's block as it tried shoving me back.

"Give me a break..." I heard someone say before Gamma was knocked away from me hard. Flying back a bit, I looked at the person and saw that Gertrud was floating there, looking a little...irritated?

"You are such an idiot, Sage..." Gertrud started as she turned to look at me. "What gives you the right to simply fight that thing by yourself? You barely had your magic back for less than a week, so how can you decide to fight it alone?"

"You can't fight a Neuroi like that with your magic," I tried telling her.

"So? I've taken on Neuroi way bigger than that thing. You're saying that we can't help you fight something more human-shaped?"

"But..." This isn't a normal Neuroi! There's no telling just how much potential it's got!

"She's right, Roland," Erica replied as she floated in front of me. "You're not the only person fighting for something. We're the Strike Witches, right? So let's fight it as a team."

"We'll take that thing on no sweat!" Francesca cheered as she, Charlotte, and Draco flew in to my left. "Just you see!"

"You and Yoshika showed us how to be close as a team," Charlotte added. "You're the reason Draco's here. It's time to let us help you now."

"You're not alone in all this," Draco included. "Just tell us how we can help and we'll get to it."

 _I know it sounds selfish, but you're too important to the team._

I blinked. Where did I hear that one before? I'm sure I heard it somewhere...

"We're helping whether you like it or not," Shizuka concluded as she and Heidemarie floated behind me. "Sorry, sir, but I agree with Captain Barkhorn: if we can take on a carrier as a team and if you guys took on a giant core then what's stopping us from working together to take this one down?"

...What right _do_ I have?

" _That hurts,_ " Gamma said as it managed to recover from Gertrud's punch and looked at us. " _You can take us on all at once, but you will lose._ "

I lowered my eyebrows. I think I have an idea to beat it...

"Alright," I said as I looked at Gamma with a determined look. "Give me some time to get ready. Think you can run decoy, girls and Draco?"

"You kidding?" Gertrud asked. "We'll run decoy as long as you need."

I nodded. "Right, I'm going to need a few seconds to enter Neuroi Mode. Keep it busy until then."

"Right. Ladies and Sergeant Dracon, same group. Hattori, you're with me and Hartmann. Major, please stay with Sage in case it slips past us."

"Right," Heidemarie simply said as the others flew to buy me some time.

I prepared to enter Neuroi Mode once again, hopefully without any distractions this time...

XXXXXXXXXX

 _Gertrud's POV_

"Yeager, your group provides cover fire in case it gets behind us," I ordered as we flew into action. "Hattori, keep an eye on the battlefield while we're fighting and let me know when Sage is ready to go. Hartmann?"

"On it," Hartmann replied as she flew ahead and at the being. " _Sturm!_ " She then surrounded herself with her magic and passed by the being, who had moved aside in a quick movement.

"That's not good," Shirley added.

"What is it, Yeager?" I asked quickly as I barely flew back from the being as it chose to fly at me and try slashing at me. I watched as the Liberion Witches and Lucchini fired at the being, making it back off as it used its shield to block the bullets.

"It looks like it's using my type of magic."

...How the hell does a Neuroi use magic a Witch would have? Unless...? "If that's the case, then we need to keep an eye on it." I then felt something brush past me as I felt the collar of my uniform get grabbed, and I was soon flying back as the being tossed me back. I spent a few seconds correcting my flight before I had to fly back again to avoid the wrist blade the being was swinging around. "Dammit, stop that!" I tried blocking it with one of my guns when the being tried again, but the blade simply sliced through it as I felt something get cut. Flying back, I dropped the destroyed weapon and readied the remaining one as I fired at it, the being simply blocking it with its shield.

"Hang on! Lucchini Missile!"

As soon as Shirley said that, I backed up in time to see Lucchini barrel towards the being, her shield up and ready to plow through its target, who had the sense to raise some defenses to block the attack.

"You alright, ma'am?" Hattori asked me via the radio as I took in where I had heard the cut, feeling my uniform carefully so as not to make it worse. It seemed to have been a slight diagonal slit just underneath my chest, near my right breast.

"I'm fine," I replied as I looked at my hands, not seeing any blood. Good, I'm not bleeding. Though I wonder if...

The being tilted its shield to its left so that Lucchini slid past harmlessly before a familiar feeling ran down my spine.

"Captain Sage is ready, I think," Hattori radioed in.

XXXXXXXXXX

 _Roland's POV_

"Neuroi Mode..." I concluded as I let the energy inside me charge to its maximum potential. " _ACTIVATE!_ "

As I relaxed and scanned the battlefield, I heard Heidemarie fly close to me. Everyone else had been fighting it but seemed to have stopped once Shizuka told them that I was ready (she wasn't too sure if I really was, but who cares?).

"Roland?" she asked. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, major," I told her as I turned to look at her. I think my current look made her a little timid, though to be fair the first time she saw me like this it was from a distance. "I won't bite, ma'am. Just keep back and enjoy the show." To the others, I radioed in, "I'm coming in. Cover me if I get pushed back." I then flew towards Gamma and, readying my wrist blade once again, swung at it. Gamma blocked it with its own blade and flew back before raising a hand towards me and firing a beam. I blocked it with a stronger barrier (oddly enough I was only fit for barrier duty if I wore the Barrier Bracelet or went into Neuroi Mode) before I replied with one of my own, being fired from my left hand. Gamma used a shield to block it before zipping past me, creating a sort of energy drill around its body as it flew. I barely strafed to the left and avoided feeling the surface, though the energy behind it felt strong.

" _Missed,_ " Gamma said as it floated there and I turned to look at it. " _Let us try that again._ "

"Let's not and say we did," I replied as I flew towards it, hoping to cut it while I flew past. However, Gamma dodged the resulting swing I made and gave chase, forcing me to try losing it. I tried doing a loop over it to get behind it and aiming a beam at its rear, but Gamma pulled a loop over me by the time I fired, getting right back behind me. I then tried doing an Immelmann turn over it but that went as well as you'd expect: Gamma still following me. Even two split-S maneuvers (At least Minna and Erica had told me one time that I could also call it a reversed Immelmann turn) didn't do anything, though to be fair the enemy I'm fighting is a Neuroi shaped like a human. Kinda difficult to lose it when it can move in about the same fashion as me (instead of having to fly like, well, a plane or a blimp).

What do I do? Come on, let's see, run through some plans...barrel rolls won't work...neither will aileron rolls, which I've been told is what I refer to as "barrel rolls" (damn you, Peppy!)...already tried Immelmann turns of both varieties...loops didn't work out...

I started hearing something get charged up behind me, and I turned around and threw up a barrier just as a beam was fired at me. This forced me back a bit as Gamma zoomed past me.

Come on, what else?

Maybe a bit of speed would work, but how would I go about it?

...

I looked up above Gamma and realized my answer.

Get the higher ground and then launch an attack.

Activating Jet Mode, I boosted my way up into the air, feeling Gamma in pursuit.

 _ **Any ideas how to lose a human-shaped Neuroi?**_ Lionelis asked me. ' _ **Cause we've got nothing.**_

I glanced below me and saw Gamma's wrist blade still active.

 _What if I let that hit my barrier?_ I tried. _What would that do?_

 ** _You ever get hit by a tank at a very fast speed?_** my core replied. _ **Not good.**_

 _I'm a male Witch. I think I can handle Gamma slamming into my defenses. After all, it managed to tank a Lucchini Missile, and we both know how much that would hurt if it connects._

 ** _...*sigh* You're an idiot but we've got no choice._**

 _Glad to see how much you believe in me...really supportive..._

 ** _Hey, you pulled the same thing on us not even fifteen minutes ago!_**

I then decided to cut off my speed, powering down the Unit as I zipped through the air. Turning around quickly as I exited Neuroi Mode, I raised my barrier as I came to a stop and soon felt Gamma plow into it with its wrist blade. As I should have expected, the defensive measure broke, but the brief contact with the barrier before it broke gave me a slight speed boost as the collision launched me higher into the air, getting me out of Gamma's attack range. Thinking quickly, I readied my BAR and fired at it. making it raise some defenses as it backed off a bit.

Okay, better do it now...

Pointing my legs into the air and powering my Striker Unit back on, I tried starting it back up before I realized that I was in a bit of a difficult position: I was unable to get it going as I heard it stalling. This left me in a diving free-fall with my gun at the ready.

"Come on, you stupid thing..." I said to myself as I fired more rounds into Gamma's barrier, hoping to either break it or get it to back off a lot more. "Start up and let's go!" I think the air rushing past my face made it a bit difficult to aim as well, so I'm surprised I can even hit the barrier.

I soon heard the sound I wanted to hear as my Striker Unit roared to life before I dropped the BAR and, reaching for my pistol, fired my entire clip capacity in bullets into Gamma's defenses.

 _Lio, now!_ I yelled mentally.

 _ **On it!**_ Lionelis replied as he pumped energy into my body, allowing me to ready my right wrist blade as I shifted my pistol to my left hand after I set the safety switch on.

I smacked into Gamma's barrier and forced us downward before I started seeing his defenses cracking. _I've gotta make this one count!_

CRACK!

I heard and felt the barrier break, sending Gamma back quite a bit.

"FALCON... _PUNCH!_ " I shouted with all my might as I wound my right arm back for my attack.

Wasting no time, I jabbed my wrist blade at the enemy as it righted itself and soon came to a stop about ten feet below it.

 _"Too bad you missed us..._ " Gamma began as it turned to look at me before I noticed that there was a cut in its chest that seemed to reveal a core in the left side of its ribs (well, where ribs would be). The cut seemed to extend up to its shoulder, and it seemed to have stopped somewhere behind its back, letting me see the sky behind it. There also seemed to be a slight chunk missing from it, where my fist had charged through during the attack. " _We stand corrected. Well, it certainly had been a pleasure to have fought against you, but don't think that you've won this time. We will return, and you and your comrades may not survive our next engagement._ " It then zoomed out of the area with a glow of aura.

Letting the energy Lionelis gave me disappear, I watched as the others flew over to me, presumably to make sure I was alright.

"Are you alright, Sage?" Gertrud asked me, a slight look of worry in her eyes.

"I'm fine," I told her before I started feeling really sore all over. "Then again, I think I overdid it with that last plan. That one hurt like a mother..."

"You asked for that one, idiot."

"Anyways..." I looked at Heidemarie. "Major, can you sense Gamma?"

"Gamma?" Heidemarie asked me. "The enemy we just fought?" She used her magic antennae to check for our opponent. "It is currently flying away from the base. It seems like encountering us was its main objective."

"It looked like you nearly got it, though," Francesca added.

I blinked. "Wait, I was supposed to kill it?"

"Of course?" Charlotte asked more than replied. "Why, were you thinking of something else to do with it?"

...Doh! I was more concerned with making sure I hit it hard! "Sorry, I guess that I forgot that I was supposed to aim for its core. To be fair, though, I wasn't sure where it was exactly, so I'm lucky I got close to hitting it."

"It's not going to be coming our way again for a while by the look of it," Erica added.

We then all looked at Shizuka, who was in deep thought. Deeply confused thought.

"Shizuka?" I tried.

"...'Falcon Punch', sir?" the Fuso sergeant asked, glaring at me a little.

Right, she's got no idea about my true origins, huh? I looked at the others. "Should I tell her and Major Heidemarie?"

"Tell us what?" Heidemarie asked.

XXXXXXXXXX

 _Shizuka's POV_

...And now I'm even more confused...and way more shocked.

See, after our first encounter with what Roland called a "Witch Hunter" in the report he gave to Commander Minna, the Neuroi Witch decided to take Major Schnaufer and me into the commander's office before he had us sit down in some seats and decided to give us what he called "the truth".

Well, as much of "the truth" as he wanted to tell us.

According to him, he was from a different world, one where the Neuroi had never attacked and certain things had never occurred in our history. Also, he was from the year 2013 or something in his world, which had our world as part of an fictional universe called "Strike Witches". "Falcon Punch", he explained, was from a game he had played before coming here, and he noted that it was more like something Sergeant Dracon would be able to use (something about fire and a bird shape). He also added that the only people who knew about his origin was former-General Maloney, the Strike Witches before me and Heidemarie, himself, and some organization he didn't have a name for (he really didn't).

"So let me get this straight," I said as I shook my head and tried getting a sense of what he told us, "you're saying that you came to our world via what you call a computer monitor, got fused with a Neuroi core, and spent two months unconscious before signing up for the army, learning about your magic before Neuroi Mode, and everything that happened to you since?"

"Pretty much," Roland told me simply.

"...That's a load of crap...you can't seriously be from a different world..."

"Really?"

"Yeah! I mean, no disrespect to you, sir, but you can't stand there and tell me-" Roland glared at me, making me gulp. For some reason, he looked dead serious about being from an alternate version of our world. "Okay...even if I believed you when you say that, and I find it really hard to, why can't you simply use that to predict when the Neuroi are going to attack and, you know..."

"Other than the fact that I've only seen one season?" Roland shrugged his shoulders. "I don't want to come across as a bit of a jerk or something if I knew about it entirely. Besides, you can't always trust people with things like that, sadly."

"So why us?" Major Schnaufer asked.

"Why you two in particular? After I slipped that information around the first eleven girls I knew on the team, we came to the conclusion that it was best if we had new members be aware of my situation in order to avoid a repeat of guns being pointed to my head." Roland glanced at Commander Minna, who gave off a slight blush, before he looked at us again. "Draco learned about it in about the same fashion as you two are right now, and you are learning this because you're now a part of the Strike Witches, Shizuka. As for Heidemarie...why am I telling her again, Minna?"

"Because she is under my command at the moment," Commander Minna replied. "Plus, she is also part of the Strike Witches at the moment due to that, so by extension she should be told it. Well, if you had elected to try telling Sergeant Hattori only."

"Ah...that's why...anyways, do you understand now?"

"I guess," I told him with a nod. "I looked up to you because of your achievements, but with what you've just told us...I think it's going to be a while before I let it fully digest, but I won't let my faith in you waver, sir!"

"That's good to hear at least. Major?"

"I understand," Major Schnaufer added as she gave off her own nod.

"Good."

And that's about how the first battle after the official reformation of the Five Hundred and First Joint Fighter Wing, the "Strike Witches", ended: with the Neuroi Witch telling the two of us his secret.

Is it just me, or is there really going to be a lot of things going on around the base now?

XXXXXXXXXX

 _Roland: Next time on **Strike Heroes 3: Global Revengeance**..._

 _Mio: As of today, you four are going to be training under Sage's tutelage._

 _Roland: Wait, what? Why am I doing drill duties?_

 _Yoshika: Yay!_

 _Roland: You're not helping, Yosh!_

 _Lynette: Roland, why is the major carrying a second katana?_

 _Perrine: Don't tell me it's like the Reppumaru..._

 _Shizuka: Next time: **Will to Protect**._

 _Roland: I guess either way I'm stuck with it, so let's make your training count._

 **XXXXXXXXXX**

 **And there's the end of the next chapter. Sorry for the inconvenience as far as waiting for the next chapter: I got sidetracked with a game. As a sign of apology, I will be updating** _Strike Heroes: Himebana_ **right after this.**

 **Alright, some notes about this chapter: the "Witch Hunter" Neuroi type was something I came up with based on the research I did around the Strike Witches wiki. There was a Witch named Giuseppina Cenni (some of you might know about the Neuroi's connection to her, but feel free to let me know more about it if you wish) who seemed to have been...brainwashed by the Neuroi to allow them to copy Witch tactics, and then I thought about what the giant core over Venezia did with its "host" (in both this series and canonically) and decided on the following: if the Neuroi brainwashed a Witch to learn more about tactics used by their opponents (again, correct me if I'm wrong) and a core was able to use a Witch's magic to generate shields, what's to stop them from being able to use their magic, albeit in very small numbers (there's not a whole lot to go with for them given those units in question are more like prototypes) and with two magic abilities? Now, I don't really know if anyone else had made this sort of unit before, so it's a bit difficult to make them intimidating yet not overpowering.**

 **Also, just in case and before you comment about the realistic value of Roland's "plan to try killing Gamma", it made some sense to me given his new Striker Unit, but we can at least take two things from it: one, it's not a good idea to do something like that (akin to crashing into a cement wall on a bike, I guess); and two, don't do it kids.**

 **Anyways, please read and respond and let me know what you think of the chapter. And note that if you have an idea for a Neuroi, let me know if you want to.**

 **Thank you, and I will see you guys in the next chapter.**


	3. Will To Protect (Part 1)

**Hello, and welcome to the third chapter of** _Strike Heroes 3: Global Revengeance_ **.**

 **Alright, in case you read the last entry for** _Strike Heroes: Himebana_ **, there was a poll put up asking what story idea you guys wanted me to work on for the start of the third and final set of five for that story collection. Oddly enough, it ended in a four-way tie. So I've decided on my own which one I'd have the most fun working with, which is...**

 **...Thought I'd spoil the surprise? Too bad, Waluigi-you know, I'm not doing that one right now. My throat's a bit sore right now...**

 ** _...You're using words right now..._**

 **...I hate it when a fictitious being says something like that...**

 **Anyways, let's get to the reviews:**

 _Gamerman22_ **: Yeah, it ended in a tie for now. There will be a point that Roland or the Witch Hunters will be able to shift the balance to their side, but it's going to take some time to see a clear victor. Until then, ties are better than nothing. Apart from that, thanks for the review.**

 _kh2996_ **: ...I lost count myself, but I think I've seen at least five humanoid Neuroi in the archives for this particular manga/anime on the site (if we're going by shapes and not purely being half-and-half: three are from a crossover in the SW fandom, one was from a story I had seen some time before I worked on my series...wish I could remember what it was called or who wrote it so I can at least know who inspired me, and the ones in the anime seasons. Again, lost count myself...) so far. I am trying to read other stories, but with things going on around here I'm lucky that I can at least work on mine at the moment. Plus, I think I wanted to try to think of ideas without trying to see how others are handling it.**

 _kineke13_ **: Can't confirm or deny your thoughts on Gamma's fate. Also, I have thought of making one for Draco, but it'd probably not be as detailed as Roland's. I am thinking of making a sort of interquel starring Draco, but I'm not sure. If you guys have any thoughts on the idea, let me know, but I won't be actively pursuing it unless I either have time or you guys like the idea. Apart from that, I will be working on a profile for Draco so that basic information is given at the moment. Plus, thanks for the review.**

 _GeneralAshton_ **: That's a valid point: Roland did say that he would tell more about WW2, but compared to that the world of SW seems much tamer. This would most likely result in some problems for them, but I'll have to think of a good time for Roland to explain a bit more about it. Or I can force him into a situation that forces him to explain it.**

 _NickelOnTheChessBoard_ **: Yeah, *chuckles nervously*...wrong series...but (and I'm not sure if I had said it before) this series was inspired by** **the** _Mass Effect_ **games as well as the "Mass Vexations" series as well as other series that had a character from a world like ours being thrust into fictional universes. There's a closer answer for who would be the "Kai Leng" of the** _Strike Heroes_ **series, but I won't spoil it at the moment.**

 **...Now to address the other portions of your review: as I have said once before, I don't have much experience with seeing how Heidemarie acts, only having the movie, the "St. Trond's Thunder" OVA, and her entry on the Strike Witches wiki to work with, but I have to agree with you: I'm pretty sure that her reactions would have been better had I built up to it, but I feel like I did fine either way. I do read these entries many times before I publish them, even having someone read them to make sure things looked good away from my eyes. These entries might not be at their best sometimes, but I do take the time to make sure that they convey what I want to show. Even if I have to edit large sections to make things fit in more.**

 **And I definitely see where you're coming from as far as Gamma's appearance is concerned, but I felt that how I portrayed it was the best at the time. Not sure if I'd change it, but I'm going to be paying more attention to how I do things like that. I can't guarantee that they will be perfect, but in my case I feel that "really good" is better than nothing.**

 **Apart from that, thanks for the review, and I hope you continue to enjoy the story.**

 **P.S.: What exactly do you refer to again? I looked through the last chapter as much as I could but couldn't make heads or tails of what you were referring to. I'm going to keep looking, but just in case do you mind telling me?**

 _NCGaming_ **: Thanks for the review.**

 **...And there's the replies for now. I do want to apologize for the rather odd posting schedule, but with my classes starting back up soon, combined with trying to enjoy what's left of my break and working on stories as much as I can (I'm trying to write up the next arc at the moment currently) I will be trying my best to keep up with updates for this story at the least. Still, if I take a while please don't panic: I'm most likely working on the chapter as fast as I can (or in the next chapter's case, making sure it's the best I can make it). Only press your panic button if it's more than, say, a month. For those who don't have a panic button (or do and want to let me know), feel free to remind me via PM.**

 **Now a new two-part arc is beginning...**

 **XXXXXXXXXX**

 **Chapter 3: Will to Protect (Part 1)**

 _A few days after the reformation of the Strike Witches as well as the addition of Shizuka, Roland and the girls try getting used to life around the base. When a new type of Neuroi, titled "Witch Hunters", is revealed by one who tried attacking them, Roland and the others must be vigilant in order to avoid falling to this new type. Yet at the same time, a shadowy organization has its eyes on Roland. What can Roland do to survive the upcoming campaign?_

XXXXXXXXXX

 _Mio's POV_

"Commander Minna?" I asked as I poked my head through the doorway of Commander Minna's office late in the day, around eleven. The commander was busy dealing with paperwork. "Do you have a moment?"

"Yeah," the commander replied as I saw her put some papers down. "It's a bit exhausting right now, to be honest. Never thought I'd have this much trouble dealing with things around the base. The rooms are going to take a while to finish being prepared for the others, and to top it off I need to figure out a possible strategy to combat a Witch Hunter in the event one decides to show up again."

"I see your concern. While I'm not too concerned with myself considering my...well, you know, and Miyafuji's health record, the others can't really afford to stay in the hangar for too long without risking illnesses. At least, not during winter."

"I hope we're not waiting that long, but I do see your concern as well. I've been trying to figure out a plan that will accommodate our wing, but..."

I smiled slightly. "I know. It's odd that we have Sage on our side, but I'm afraid his new rank doesn't give him a lot of clout in getting things done. Speaking of that, how did Commodore Galland take the proposition about the joint second-in-command role?"

"She said that it's fine, at least for now. While Roland's not a major, his next rank is that, so she said that it wouldn't hurt to have him learn a bit from Major Heidemarie. If he does get the rank while we're dealing with our new objective, then she said that I have the choice to demote one of them from the position."

I smirked. "Will you?"

"Most likely not. I trust Roland to keep us safe, which is why I didn't object to the idea, but at the same time I know that he gets rather...angry. From what I've seen and read from reports depicting that sort of nature, it might stem back to what happened to Commander Ellios."

I raised an eyebrow. "Commander Ellios? Didn't we already burn that bridge?"

Commander Minna shook her head in disagreement. "Not yet. Roland's been rather good about keeping a level head about it, but..." She gave off a sigh. "Sometimes, I really wonder how much longer we'll have before something happens to him..."

"Like him dying or converting?"

"...Yeah..." The commander sounded hesitant. "I know it's the only choice if he does convert, but I just don't...I don't know if I can bring myself to do that to my boyfriend. If he converts..."

I nodded my head. "I understand. Sage and I haven't really interacted a lot personally, but now that I've worked with him twice...I wonder if I'll be able to go through with it as well."

Commander Minna blinked. "Mio?"

I shook my head. "It's nothing, commander. Anyways, I wanted to talk to you about an idea I've had just now."

Commander Minna raised an eyebrow. "What is it about?"

"Well, it involves a certain person..." I then proceeded to tell Minna about my idea, which only took a few minutes to flesh out the details.

Once we finished with my request, Commander Minna looked slightly confused as she asked, "You're sure you want him doing that? Why are you even asking me about the idea, now that I think about it?"

"Well..." I began.

XXXXXXXXXX

 **[Earlier, around 10 a.m.]**

You know, this is surprisingly reminding me of the girls' first training session after we came back together in Romagna. Only without Sage or Striker Units.

In case you're wondering, I chose to take Miyafuji, Lynne, Perrine, and Hattori outside for some training to pass the time, but so far...well, it's about as much as you'd expect.

Miyafuji and Lynne were having some real difficulty dealing with the workout (while I could understand Miyafuji having problems due to not being a Witch for the two months she was without magic, Lynne was a different story entirely. At least, that's what I think), and Perrine was handling the exercises fine...if by that you mean that it looked like she was trying to overwork herself.

Hattori, not surprisingly, was performing the best at the moment. I'm thinking it's because of her similarity to Captain Barkhorn as far as her attitude towards training goes. Plus, I did train her a while before I went off to the _Yamato_.

At the moment, we had just finished with running a few laps around the base (I think I had them do about ten at the moment), and Miyafuji and Lynne were lying on the ground, the little Fuso Witch on top of the Britannian Witch as both were breathing heavily. Perrine was hunched over as her hands were on her knees but she was breathing better than the first two. Hattori was simply standing there with her arms behind her head to help recover from the running.

"I don't get it," I said as I looked at the four of them. "Miyafuji I can understand not handling the drills as well as I'd like, but you two?" I looked at Perrine and Lynne.

"Sorry, major," Perrine said.

"I'm sorry, ma'am," Lynne added as she and Miyafuji sat up. "We've been a little more focused on other things, so we never really got to keep super fit for duty."

I gave off a sigh as I directed my attention to Miyafuji. "Well, I'd say that you three are the only ones I'm disappointed in, but Sage didn't exactly do much in Fuso, did he, Miyafuji?"

"Not really, Major Sakamoto," Miyafuji informed me. "He did do some push-ups and things, but we only had him handle the lifting when we needed him to. He's a bit more prepared than me."

...

Hang on, I think I just thought of something.

"Alright," I told them. "Take a lap to cool down and you're free until further notice."

With that said, I turned and walked towards the base as I ran the idea through my head.

The idea I had was this: Sage had trained alongside Perrine, Lynne, and Miyafuji when he first rejoined the Strike Witches, and he's now a captain...

Aha! I've got it: since he needs to keep himself in shape, I should get him to train those three and Hattori. It'd get them back into a fit state and Sage can get used to handling drills as an instructor.

Now, just to ask Commander Minna for permission to implement that sort of plan...

XXXXXXXXXX

 **[Present]**

"Okay," Commander Minna said once I finished telling her about how I came up with the idea, "that makes a lot more sense. Though...do you think Roland's going to approve of the idea?"

"Well, I'm still higher in rank than him, so it's not going to be as hard as you'd think," I told the commander. "Besides, I still have to gather the four in question before I get there."

"Alright, then I approve. Though...go easy on him for now if you have other ideas concerning it."

I chuckled. "Okay, I'll go easy on him."

Now to gather up his four "new students"...

XXXXXXXXXX

 _Roland's POV_

"There," I said cheerfully as I finished loading up a magazine for my Browning HP pistol after cleaning out the gun (it kinda needed some cleaning, so I figured that I'd do it since we had some free time. This involved dismantling the pistol to the point where I couldn't simply pull the trigger and shoot something). "Now it's ready to be tested on some targets. Hopefully Neuroi-shaped targets."

I then grabbed the grip of the disassembled pistol and was about to work on putting it back together again when I heard someone say the following: "Hey, you busy right now, Sage?"

"Gah!" I shouted as I pointed the part I had in my right hand at the person behind me while turning to face the newcomer. Well, newcomers.

It was Mio, Yoshika, Lynette, Perrine, and Shizuka. The last four were looking like they were slightly lost while the major had a...grin?

"Don't scare me like that, major!" I added hastily.

"Or what, you're going to point a disassembled gun at me?" Mio tried.

With a slight redness to my face, I turned around and placed the part and the magazine on the table before turning back to face them.

"Sorry," Mio apologized. "Didn't really think you would be cleaning out a gun. Speaking of that, you know how to clean a gun?"

"Yes, major." I said that with a flat tone. "The Liberion Army taught me how to clean guns to perfection. More specifically, my stepdad showed me."

"I see. That's good to hear." That grin was still there.

Does she have something planned for me? "I do apologize for the following tone, but...why are you bugging me right now, major? I doubt it's because you've got good news for me." I said the rest of the words with an non-amused voice.

"I'd really be careful about acting like that right now, captain. I could be some gorgeous lady giving you a check for a million dollars."

"Doubtful." That remark, not surprisingly, scored a smack to the right side of my head with Mio's sheathed katana. The result of which I ended up rubbing my new injury to sooth my pain. "Ow...Anyways, why are you here?"

"Sometimes, I don't know what to do with you..." Mio, after putting the katana back on her back, then noticed my question and nodded to the girls with her. "Well, I've talked to Commander Minna about it and she approved, so as of now you're going to be training these four."

That's nice and all, Mio...wait... "You're kidding?" The look on Mio's face told me otherwise. Second time today I've seen that sort of look. "I don't exactly have a problem with it, but why wasn't I notified before now?"

"Because then it wouldn't be as much fun if you knew?"

...I hate you right now, Mio...

"Anyways," Mio told my new trainees. "Captain Sage will be training you four alongside me and the other captains. For now, I'll let him get you settled in for training."

"Hey, wait a second!" I shouted as the gravity of my new situation finally sank in properly. "What the hell am I supposed to do, major?"

Mio simply sighed. "You're the trainer, Sage. I trust you can figure it out. Don't worry about having them warm up; I've already handled that before we came over here. Anyways, I'll see you girls later." I then watched as Mio walked past the girls, whispered "And try not to break him, you four," to them, and strolled out of the hangar without a care in the world.

"I heard that!" I then looked at Yoshika, Lynette, Perrine, and Shizuka.

...Ironically, the only one who actually looked like they were looking forward to training was Yoshika, and even that's something I'm afraid of...

Anyways, how the hell am I supposed to train four girls? I can't show them how to use their Neuroi cores properly because... _I"M THE ONLY ONE HERE WHO CAN DO THAT!_

...Deep breaths, Roland...you can figure something out...first, though: you need to address that they're actually here.

And...check. All four present. Now to get some rules out in the open.

"Okay, ladies...and Shizuka," I started, sighing in the middle of the statement.

"Hey!" Shizuka complained quickly.

"Anyways, ladies, I guess that I am your new drill instructor. Of course, you know my name, Roland Sage. I personally don't mind what name you give me, but there are a few rules I want to lay on you four before we start: first, you are allowed to refer to each other and myself by whatever name you choose, but I don't want any bickering about what names the others pick; second, you are to perform to your best ability every time. While I know that we can't exercise for one straight hour without a break, I still want you to give it your all so that your breaks are more satisfying; third, what I say goes. Since you four are under eighteen, I won't make you do anything...naughty, but at the same time you're going to have to handle each other if a personal emergency occurs and it's not something I can easily handle. Some examples are that I can help you out if you sprained your ankle but if your chest hurts too much I'd recommend seeing Yoshika about it; and finally, anyone outside of you four can join us at any time, and the rules will apply to them when they do. Any questions?"

"Yeah..." Lynette asked timidly. "Um...what exactly are you going to have us do?"

"Good question, Lynne. What are your goals so I have a fair idea of what to expect from each of you?"

There was a moment of silence as the girls thought about a goal they wanted to complete.

"Well, I want to be able to fight on the same level as Captain Sage," Shizuka announced. "I know that none of us apart from you, our current instructor, has a Neuroi core inside them, but I still want to be able to keep up with you when you do your exercises, sir."

"That's a good point Hattori pointed out," Perrine added. "You share a sort of connection with us four in that you've got to build yourself back into shape. The only difference is that you do it in a different fashion, and I think we should see if that will make a difference when we train with someone else."

"I see," I told them. Looking at Yoshika and Lynette, I added, "And you two agree?"

"Yeah," Yoshika told me simply. "I promised myself that I'd be like you: I'll keep fighting and never look back. If this allows me to do that, then I'll gladly give it my all."

"Of course," Lynette added.

I smiled slightly. "Alright, so you four want to see what I deal with, huh? Well, you shouldn't be disappointed. For today, I'd like for you girls to do thirty push-ups, thirty sit-ups, and run around the base five times. Tomorrow, I'll introduce you to my exercising world."

"Yes, Roland/Roland-kun/Captain Sage!" the girls said as one, each one using whatever name they called me.

"Right," I clapped my hands together. "Now, thirty push-ups first. I'll train alongside you since I have some energy back from my training regiment earlier." As I watched the girls get into push-up position, I got into position myself. "Right, now let's get some of this done."

XXXXXXXXXX

 _Yoshika's POV_

"Morning, Roland-kun!" I said cheerfully as Lynne, Shizuka, Perrine, Major Sakamoto, and I stepped inside Commander Minna's (and Roland's) room the next morning to fetch the Neuroi Witch for our training.

I was hoping for Roland to be standing there with a piece of paper or something. Or at least chatting with his girlfriend.

Instead, he was laying on their bed on his chest, still inside his usual gear (he didn't even seem to take off his weapons given that Commander Minna was busy slipping them off carefully so as not to wake him up).

"Oh, morning, Miyafuji," Commander Minna told us, "girls, and Major Sakamoto. What are you here for?"

"We were kinda hoping to have Sage work on these four's training session for a while," Major Sakamoto explained. Looking at Roland's sleeping form, she added, "I'm sorry, did we come at a bad time?"

"Not really. He came in around six-thirty and woke me up when he flopped into bed. I think it was his rifle that startled me." She then sighed. "Still a little sore, but it doesn't seem so bad."

"Oh," I decided to say, "I can take a look at it if you want, ma'am."

"I'm good right now, Miyafuji, but then again I think I'm going to be on my feet a lot today. I've got to deal with the resupply process, which means that I have to get Captain Barkhorn and Hartmann to go and pick up the supplies and bring it back. Could you please?"

I nodded happily. "Sure thing, ma'am!" I then walked over to her as she laid on her back next to Roland. I could see where Roland's BAR (now on the floor along with his sword, crowbar, and Browning HP) had smacked her left shin, on the left side and near her knee. I think she must have been sleeping on her side when she received the bruise. "Give me a moment, okay, ma'am?" I then called upon my familiar's tail and ears and focused on healing Commander Minna's injury. When I finished, I dismissed my familiar and gave off a smile as I added, "All good now, ma'am."

"Thanks." Commander Minna then got onto her feet as we all looked at Roland.

"Now what?" Perrine tried.

"Maybe we should let him sleep..." Lynne started.

Major Sakamoto shook her head as she replied with, "Probably not. I know he got done with night patrol alongside Sanya and Schnaufer, but he's got some sleep. Plus, he only has to forgo one night a week. I think about..." The major had to think about the time at the moment (it was around nine last I checked: we had breakfast around 8:30, and Shirley and Lucchini were starting to make some around eight. We were at least kind enough to leave him a plate with his portion, though it's probably cold by now). "three hours can work for the moment. We'll just not have him fly today just in case."

"Given Roland's habit," Commander Minna included, "that might be a little impossible, but you do bring up a valid point, major. How to wake him up, though..."

"No worries, I've got the perfect tool for the job." Major Sakamoto reached behind her back and, after hearing a slight snap of some string, pulled a bugle out from behind her back. "I was going to use this yesterday but wasn't able to, so I can make sure that it works for wake-up calls." She then glanced over at Major Schnaufer, who was sleeping on her bed. She was in her white undershirt from her military uniform and was wearing a pair of white panties. "Might want to make sure that Schnaufer isn't going to get jarred awake once I do this."

Lynne and I worked to cover the sleeping major's ears as best as we could, using a pair of earplugs Shizuka had in one of her pockets (the sergeant said something about going down to the shooting range or something to practice her marksmanship and had those just in case) to seal her ears.

"We're set," I said as Major Sakamoto got ready to play the bugle. Everyone else covered their ears just in case.

The major started playing the wake-up call before we watched as a green aura enveloped the bugle and was easily pulled out of Major Sakamoto's hands, followed by a sleepy-eyed, angry Roland sitting up and glaring at the major as the bugle floated next to the right side of his head.

"There had better be a good goddamn reason why you, of all people, are waking me up from my attempt at getting my night's worth of sleep back, Mio Sakamoto, and it better be damn good or so help your ancestors I will make your life a living hell when I'm back to normal," the Neuroi Witch said in a rather...grave tone as he stared at the major. His left eye was even giving off a red glow as his scars lit up.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Anyone else think it's a good idea if we don't wake Roland-kun up when he doesn't get any sleep after night patrol again anytime soon?" I tried as Shizuka, Lynne, Perrine, and I were standing in the hangar, looking at Roland, about a half hour later. During that timeframe, he had gotten up, wandered into the dining hall and took a seat as one of us brought him his breakfast. With a simple nod, he ate it as fast as he could and asked us (with some restraint evident in his voice. Must be trying to avoid snapping at us concerning Major Sakamoto waking him up...) to meet him in the hangar.

"Yep," Lynne told me really quickly.

"Definitely," Perrine added.

"Yeah, let's not, Miyafuji," Shizuka concluded.

The Neuroi Witch (the reason why I said what I said) was standing in front of us as he was busy drinking a bottle of cola (he had refused coffee and we didn't have any hot chocolate at the moment, so he seemed to have gone for cola. Something about being as good a source of caffeine for him as coffee is to Lynne, I think he said). Once he paused, he looked at us and added in an apologetic tone, "Sorry about earlier. I was really looking forward to getting a proper night's sleep, but I guess Mister Cola and I will have to get reacquainted with each other. Still not sure why we even have cola on this base." He then sighed. "Anyways, training...let's see, I did say that we'd start on my regiment, so..." He then glanced at each of us, like he was trying to size us up or something. "I've had Francesca-that's Ensign Lucchini, in case you didn't recognize the name, Shizuka-on my back as well as some of you girls while doing push-ups. That is what our ultimate goal will be, but for today we will need to get used to the idea of having something on your back, so..." He reached right next to him and grabbed a tool kit that had been sitting on the ground to his left. "Now, I asked Shirley if I could borrow her tool box for the moment, minus tools, so this shouldn't be too bad." I think he noticed our whitened faces (well, Shizuka didn't look fazed, but the rest of us were. Heck, I'm sure of myself) as he sighed and added, "Okay, maybe too much. I'll have to check the weight, but in the meantime..." He placed his right hand over his chin for a bit before he got an idea and, with a snap of his fingers, ran over and grabbed Lynne's anti-tank rifle, taking care to make sure the safety was on and taking out the magazine while checking the barrel of the rifle afterwards to ensure that no bullets were loaded. "This should work for getting used to having some weight on your back while doing push-ups. Now, who wants to go first?"

We looked at each other. We weren't too sure how tough it'd be, but I don't think any of us wanted to be the first one to try her hands with the idea.

Noting our lack of a decision, Roland yawned as he decided to choose someone.

"Right, I'll choose for now," he said as he looked at Shizuka. "Shizuka? You'll be our first contestant given you should be the best for showing these three how it's done."

"Right," Shizuka said as she walked over to Roland, who handed her the rifle. Placing it on her back, she then got into a push-up position and started on them, the rest of us watching as she went through them rather quickly.

It took her about five minutes before she fell onto her chest softly, panting.

"Not too bad," Roland told Shizuka as he helped her slide the rifle off her back. "I would have thought that you'd have given out after about two minutes of that." To the rest of us, he added, "Okay, who wants to try next?" He saw Lynne timidly raising her right hand. "Ah, Lynne. Alright. Let's go."

Once he helped her set up, Lynne barely lasted a minute before she got too tired, something Roland was confused about.

"Huh," he said carefully. "I thought you girls could hold a gun like that without magic support. Guess not." Getting on his knees as he helped Lynne get her weapon off her back, he told her, "It's alright, Lynne. I would have probably done the same thing if I was in your shoes."

After Lynne stood up and moved aside to take a break, I tried next but lasted about a second longer than the Britannian Witch (Roland had even confirmed it just in case). Finally, it was Perrine's turn, and she did better than the two of us though she was a minute short of beating Shizuka.

Taking another drink from his bottle of cola, the Neuroi Witch looked at us and said, "Okay, that didn't go very well. Not as bad as I'd have thought, though." He then yawned yet again. "Sorry for yawning so much. Trying to keep myself awake and all...anyways, let's do some sit-ups now. Nothing new to do, so let's see...how about...three hundred sit-ups?"

We then blinked. That sounded like something Major Sakamoto would have us do. Not Roland.

"Are you sure about that?" I tried.

Roland glared at me darkly as he replied with, "Would you like to test my sanity at the moment, Pilot Officer Miyafuji? If not, then get going before I make it six hundred."

I gulped. I think the major did a number on his mind by waking him up the way she did. "Y-Yes, R-Roland-kun, s-s-sir!"

XXXXXXXXXX

 _Roland's POV_

While the girls did their three hundred sit-ups, I took another swig of cola and closed my eyes to focus on my current situation.

I didn't really want to say what I said to Yoshika but at the same time I do have a more complex anger issue with the core active inside me. I just thought that it'd be in their best interest to not try pushing my buttons at the moment. At least, not until I get a good night's sleep.

God knows how much I want to avoid a repeat of what happened with Hanna...

 _ **You didn't really have to make the threat of doubling their workload just because she asked you a question, Roland,**_ Lionelis told me.

 _You think based on my current sleep levels?_ I replied. _I've been on a night patrol and had barely gotten three hours of sleep before someone decided to wake me up, rather rudely too. I'm only still awake because I've got Mister Cola with me. And you, to an extent._

 ** _...That's a lame name to give a bottle of soda._**

 _You name things your way, I'll name things mine._

 ** _Yeah,_ _yeah..._**

I yawned for who knows which time now before opening my eyes and, looking at the girls, said, "Never mind the three hundred, just go to a hundred for now. I'll save three hundred for when we're more fit to do it." I then blinked: apparently, in the two minutes I had my eyes closed, Yoshika, Shizuka, Lynette, and Perrine were all laying on their backs, panting heavily. "Um...jeez, I didn't say you four had to kill yourselves doing them..."

"You're scary without much sleep, Roland-kun..." Yoshika said a minute after I said my line, having caught her breath.

"Sorry..." Lynette and Shizuka added.

"Thanks for the heads-up..." Perrine included, a little dazed.

"I'm afraid to ask, but...how much did you manage to do before you felt the repercussions?" I asked carefully.

"About eighty...we think..." the girls said as one.

 ** _At that speed, we would have thought they had died out around thirty..._** Lionelis mentioned.

 _You don't give them enough credit,_ I told him. _They can go up to three hundred at some point. Just not right now._

 ** _Still, they've got nothing on you, Roland. You've got three sources of magic in you at the moment. The best any of them have right now is Yoshika's magic, and she's still growing in power. Her body, on the other hand..._**

I blinked. _She's my friend, Lio!_ Where does a core get off commenting on the build of one of my friends and teammates? I could understand if he said that about Minna, but...Yoshika's too young for me! Wait, is it considered part of my thoughts if a core communicating with me mentally thinks up something like that?

 ** _Just an observation, Roland. We don't even have a physical body for anything you'd think we'd do, so why would we consider the possibilities?_**

 _Maybe because you're in my body._

 ** _...Good point. We're in your body at the moment, so..._**

...Why do I feel like I was going to hate life somewhere down the road?

"Roland-kun?" Yoshika asked as she and Shizuka managed to stand up. Lynette and Perrine, while they had seemed to recover from the speed run they all did, were only sitting on the ground. "Are you okay?"

"Huh?" I asked in return as I blinked and focused on my trainees. "Oh, yeah. Completely fine!"

"Okay...you looked like you were lost in thought..."

"Anyways, what's next, sir?" Shizuka concluded.

"Erm..." I started as I thought of something I could have them do. Maybe some pull-ups...that could work... "I've got to get something set up, so take about twenty laps on the runway and come back to see me."

"Right!" the girls told me immediately.

XXXXXXXXXX

 _Gertrud's POV_

Not quite sure if Sage is really ready to be dealing with training, what with his current lack of a proper night's sleep, but at least Commander Minna and Major Sakamoto decided to not have him take to the air (if at all possible; if things got really bad during an attack, I'm sure that not even sleep deprivation can stop an angry Neuroi Witch).

Speaking of the Neuroi Witch, Sage said something about running some laps to his trainees (Miyafuji, Bishop, Hattori, and Perrine) before he came into the hangar in search of something while the girls ran on the runway.

Wonder what he's looking for at this time?

"Gertrud?" he asked as he spotted me. "What are you doing here at the moment?"

"Hmm?" I sounded as I realized that he had spotted me. "Ah! I was wondering about how you were handling those four."

"Those four?" Sage climbed over the bars I was standing behind and took a stand to my right, a bottle of cola in his right hand. "Ah. I figured that I'd give them a taste of what I'd probably go through for the moment. I tried having them do push-ups with some weight on their backs."

Weight? Oh, right: like how one of us would sit on his back while he did them. "I see. And?"

Sage sighed. "They've got a long way to go before they get to my level, but I know Shizuka's got the best shot. Yoshika, however, has the most heart out of all of them."

"Wonder where she gets it from."

Sage must have blinked because I missed it, but his next line sounded like he was surprised. "It's not like that at all, Gertrud!"

"Relax, Sage-I mean, Roland." I barely remembered that he had ordered me to call him by his first name as part of being second-in-command. "It's not a bad thing. I mean, out of all of us you've done the most as far as influencing people goes. That, and Commander Minna with her leadership skills. I mean, you've gotten Eila to not beat you senseless after a while, and Miyafuji has become a little...attached to you, I guess."

"You're just saying that because you want her to be more attached to you as a sort of little sister, huh?"

What is he...?

Oh crap!

I backed away from him as my right hand flew over my mouth while I looked at him.

"I-I'm not thinking that at all!" I said quickly. "I'm j-just saying that she seems t-to have taken after you, that's a-all."

Sage lowered his eyebrows as he turned his head to look at me before he replied with, "Really? Why are you blushing then?"

"I'm not blushing!" Actually, I think I am, but it's not for what you think it's for!

"I think your face says otherwise, Gertrud." He then gave off a grin.

As I watched him take a sip from his bottle of cola, I couldn't help but notice that he looked a little more...

No! No! Stop that, Gertrud! You know he's already with Commander Minna!

...But why can't I figure out why I'm thinking like this?

"Not you too..." I groaned as my blush reddened a lot more.

"Sorry, had to do that," Sage told me as he chuckled. "You've really got to relax a little."

I blinked. "Is that an order as second-in-command, Roland?"

"Not really. Think of it as more of a request. I know that being disciplined is what makes you...you, but you've had a bit of a good twist of events going for you for about the last year. I mean, you've got Chris up and moving about, you've got a team that really trusts you, and you've got your homeland to look forward to. What more could you ask for?"

Don't say "a boyfriend". Don't say "a boyfriend". "Someone to look forward to meeting." That's about the same thing, you _dummkoph!_

Sage looked confused. "Look forward to? Erm...you can look forward to seeing Chris in Karlsland. I'm pretty sure you can't wait to tell her all about your struggle to free it."

...Oh my God, I forgot that he's a little oblivious sometimes. At least my feelings aren't being told to him. Hartmann, on the other hand... "Yeah, I do, don't I?"

"See? At least you've got family still." He smiled, but for some reason it looked a bit...faked.

Right, I forgot that he doesn't have any family in our world. I guess the closest he's got is probably the team and Miyafuji's mother and grandmother, but there's no one related to him for him to see. "Well, if you ever want to, I could introduce you to Chris. If I remember correctly, I think she said something about wanting to meet you for a while now. Must be the autograph or something."

"Don't worry. I'd love to meet Chris, don't get me wrong, but I don't want you to do something like that out of pity."

I sighed. "I know you're technically higher in command than me with your current position, but I've been a captain longer than you and I'm ordering you to come along with me the next time I go see Chris."

"But-"

"No 'buts', Roland. After all, you wouldn't want to disappoint me, right?" I remember that he cares about us deep down, no matter what his current relationship with Commander Minna means.

I must have triggered something in him because Sage looked a little surprised. "Oh! Alright, Gertrud. I'll go with you the next time you go."

Smiling, I sighed. "Now that that's done, don't you have something to do?"

"Oh, right! I need a pipe or something! Um...any idea where I could find one?"

"You could use one of those poles for what you're thinking." I pointed behind him and to a pile of poles that were just sitting there. "What are you planning on doing with one, anyways?"

"You'll see..."

XXXXXXXXXX

 _Yoshika's POV_

A few minutes after we got done with our twenty laps on the runway, we went into the hangar to meet up with Roland, who had Barkhorn standing next to him as he had a pole of sorts laying on the ground in front of us.

"Um, what's the pole for?" I asked.

"It's for you girls," Roland replied.

I'm lost: what exactly are we going to do with a pole on the ground?

"You better not be thinking what I think you're thinking, Roland, my word," Perrine added as she was looking at the object in question.

"Orientation yesterday," the Neuroi Witch replied with a blank stare. "Rule number three, extra info, Perrine. Besides, you think I can hold a pole like that for a few minutes with my current sleep level?"

...Really lost here. What's Perrine getting at?

"You're better off not asking, Yoshika," Lynne whispered in my left ear. When I looked at her, she had a slight blush on her face.

Can someone please tell me what you three are getting at? Or at least tell me in a way that I can understand, please?

"Anyways, I have this pole here because we are going to do pull-ups," Roland concluded as he told us about what the pole was going to be used for. "Any questions?" I raised my right hand. "Yes, Yoshika?"

"What's a pull-up?" I asked, confused. I know that Major Sakamoto had us do some odd exercises, but what's a pull-up? Also, how do you do one?

Roland scratched the back of his head with his right hand as he looked puzzled. "I guess Major Sakamoto didn't have you guys do that, did she?"

"Not that I remember, no." Then again, we may have, but...sometimes my memory's not the greatest...like I learned that Lynne had an older sister and then forgot it until she reminded me a couple of times. Though...what was her name again? Oh well, it'll come back to me eventually. If Lynne doesn't remind me first.

"Alright. Gertrud? Care to demonstrate?"

"Sure," Barkhorn replied as we watched Roland lift the pole about six feet into the air horizontally using a green aura (I've seen him use Neuroi Mode so much I think I forgot that he has other magic abilities that don't rely on the core). "Anyways, ladies, I'll show you how a pull-up's done. Watch closely." She jumped up and, crossing her right shin behind her left as she bent her knees so that her feet pointed behind her, grabbed a hold of the pole. Roland gave off a quick grunt before he managed to recover from the increase in weight. She then proceeded to pull her body up so that her chin was over the pole before she counted off the attempt and lowered her body down, letting go and landing on her feet. "It's like that, Miyafuji."

"Pretty much. You could do it over- or under-handed. I think that's how you'd describe it. Basically, you can either do it so that your elbows either goes to the side, like how Captain Barkhorn did, or downwards, like an El." He then lowered the pole on the ground gently before he let go of it. "Alright, who wants to try first this time?"

"Erm, how much do you want us to do?" I asked.

"I'd think five, but just do at least one for now."

"I'll go first, Roland," Perrine told him.

"Alright, Perrine. Gimme a second to get ready." He then used his magic to get the pole back into the air. "Alright, hop on."

Perrine did so, and after the grunt of trying to strengthen his magic to compensate for the added weight came out of Roland's mouth, the Gallian Witch started on her turn.

She managed to do a couple but had apparently lost steam after the third one because she was struggling to perform the fourth before she just dropped onto the ground feet first after letting go.

"Three, not bad, Perrine," Roland told her.

"Just doing what I need to," Perrine told him, though a slight smirk crossed her face.

"Anyways, next?"

"I wanna give it a try!" I told him as I raced under the pole and jumped up to grab at it...before I realized that I wasn't exactly tall enough to just jump up and get it. At least, not very easily. "Um, Roland-kun?"

Roland sighed and, after considering my current stature, lowered it just enough for me to grab it after a jump up before he raised it back to its original height. I then tried to pull myself up but found myself unable to.

...I don't think it's as easy as Barkhorn and Perrine made it look like, at least not for the first one.

I spent the next few minutes kicking my legs about as I tried pulling myself up. I managed to get my chin to come up to the bar but before I could get it over to make it count my arms gave out, and I found myself falling. Thinking quickly, I prepared myself for any possible injuries before landing on my feet and falling onto my rear.

"Are you okay, Miyafuji?" Shizuka asked me as she and Lynne came over to me while I sat there.

"Yeah," I told her quickly as I rubbed the bruised area with my right hand. "I just hurt my rear, that's all. Ow..."

Once I moved, Lynne tried next but...

For some reason, she reminded me of a blanket or something because she wasn't even able to pull herself up at the moment. Roland, after a sigh, had to tell her to hang on for about a minute before she let go. At least she didn't fall onto her rear after landing.

Finally, it was Shizuka's turn, and she managed to do the five Roland had originally planned.

"Wow, Shizuka," I told her as Roland went to put the pole away for now. "I can't believe you actually managed to do that much."

Shizuka, for some strange reason, gained a slight blush as she replied with, "I-It wasn't a problem at all, Miyafuji. I had to do things like that in training, so it's really not as hard for me to perform. Plus, I'm rather fresh from training, so..."

For being two years younger than me, she's able to do more things than I could have done at that age.

"Anyways," Barkhorn decided to tell us (she was still standing there). "You four have the afternoon off, but I'll be your drill instructor in the evening. Hope you're ready for it."

"Yes, ma'am," we told her.

XXXXXXXXXX

 _Mio's POV_

"Major, is there any reason why there's a katana sitting in my office from Fuso at the moment?" Commander Minna asked me as she had called me in some time after lunch. For some reason, there had been a delivery that had ended up in the commander's office, a katana. It had a tan scabbard with a white cap at the tip along with a thin white strip that seemed to act as the strap for the protective cover. The katana itself...it was hard to tell what exactly it was as far as blade color was concerned, but it did have a white hilt and a white hand guard.

"That?" I asked in return as I walked over to her desk, where the katana was resting at the moment. "I'm not sure...did it say where it's from?"

"According to the note I received, it came from Fuso. I didn't seem to get an address from where it came from there, just that it was sent to Saint Trond."

"Hmm..." I picked up the katana by the scabbard and examined it. I could use this as a backup weapon in the event I couldn't get to the Reppumaru, but then again I think I'm better off giving this to Miyafuji. I'm pretty sure it's time for her to learn how to use one in combat. "That's strange. I don't remember seeing this katana before. However, I don't believe it's a trap for us. Permission to hand it to Miyafuji?"

"Erm...why would she need a katana?"

I chuckled. "Commander Minna, she's from Fuso. Besides, without me to fly in and use the Reppumaru, she could try using it."

Commander Minna blinked. "And risk her using the _Shin Reppuzan_ again? Are you sure it's a good idea to give her a weapon that would allow her to perform something like that?"

"I'm pretty sure. There are more spells than the _Shin Reppuzan_ that she can use. For instance, she could use the Cloud Spark technique if she learned how to perform it. As for her using it again, I'm sure she wouldn't decide to use it again unless something dramatic occurred. And we barely started our services here, so I don't think that'll happen for a while."

Commander Minna sighed. "Alright. I'll let you give it to her. Promise me that you'll take full responsibility if she ends up losing her magic again."

"Don't worry so much, Minna. I'll be sure to ensure that she doesn't go and use up her magic again." I held the katana in my left hand as I saluted Commander Minna with my right hand. "Speaking of her, any idea where she is?"

XXXXXXXXXX

 _Roland's POV_

"Tic-tac-toe!" I heard Yoshika shout as she and I finished with yet another game of Tic-tac-toe on one of my letter papers at the table in the hangar. "I win again!"

"I must be losing my touch at this point," I lamented slightly before I sighed and drew another hash tag to start another game. "I'm a lot better at this game than I'm being right now, and that's not even much."

"And you beating me at chess isn't?" Perrine added as she and Lynette were busy watching us play our game. The Gallian Witch was busy standing to my left as the Britannian Witch was watching from behind Yoshika.

Hey, that's a strategy game! You're using a strategy here, true, but how many different moves can you make in this game? I think it's about nine-factorial, which is...

Actually, that's a big number.

 _ **About** **362,880,**_ Lionelis informed me.

Exactly. In chess, you have way more than that for the possible moves.

...I hope so given the amount of pieces and squares the game and its board have.

"I can always try beating you three times in a row again, Perrine," I retorted playfully as I looked at her. "Or do you not recall that time we played chess in Britannia?"

I think Perrine blanched slightly. "Don't remind me...I still don't know how you managed to beat me that much back then."

I shrugged my shoulders. "Just got lucky, that's all it was." I then watched as Yoshika drew a circle in the center of the grid. I responded by crossing out the upper right corner.

"Hey there, you four," Mio's voice said suddenly.

"Major Sakamoto!" I heard Yoshika shout as we all turned around and saw Mio walking towards us, a katana in her left hand. She then gave off a salute. "Ma'am!"

"It's alright, Miyafuji," Mio told the little Fuso Witch. "You can relax." She then noticed what we had been doing. "Are you two playing tic-tac-toe or something?"

"We got bored after training, so Yoshika and I decided to play some of this," I replied. "Anyways...why are you toting around a second katana?" I could see that this katana was different from the one resting on her back: it was a tan scabbard with a white tip and a thin white strip to act as the strap for it. Resting inside the scabbard was a katana's blade (I assume steel-colored) with a white hilt and a white hand guard.

"Oh, this?" Mio held out the katana in front of her. "Commander Minna found this in her office earlier. It came from Fuso, that's all we know."

"Not even a return address?" I got up and, walking over to the Fuso major, took the katana in my hands. "Huh. A bit strange, if you ask me. It feels different from my sword, but let's see..." I gripped the hilt with my right hand as my left hand slid down the scabbard a bit as I tried pulling the katana out to examine the blade.

...

Nothing.

"Okay, what gives?" I asked as I tried again. The katana was still inside its scabbard, like it was glued into the cover.

"How do you not know how to pull out a katana?" Mio asked as she blinked in confusion.

"I do! It's just...stuck..." I continued pulling at it.

"Let me try." She grabbed it from me and tried to pull it out herself, getting the same results I had: nothing. "Strange. Usually a katana will slide right out."

"...Maybe it's a Japanese-sorry, Fuso version of Excalibur?"

"Roland, that legend only works if the sword was in the stone," Lynette informed me.

"Thanks, Lynne. Forgot you were a Britannian Witch. Anyways, why do you have it with you, major? I'd think that a katana that can't slide out of its own scabbard would be used more for a display case than actual combat."

"Well, I wanted to give it to Miyafuji," Mio said. "She's a Fuso Witch, so it'd be fitting for her to have a weapon our people would use."

"Wait, you want me to have it?" Yoshika asked the major. "But..."

"I think it's time you use a katana when you need to, Miyafuji. Plus, I can't have you try using the Reppumaru here again. At least with this I can prevent you from being harmed just by holding my katana."

"That's still a dangerous magic-sucker?" I asked quickly. How come she's still using it if she's got no more magic?

"Most likely is still. I can't feel the magic drain due to, you know...anyways, it's best if I keep a hold of it. I don't want anyone else on this team going through what I had while using it."

"Erm...alright..." Yoshika said timidly as she reached out and grabbed the new katana with her left hand. Resting it in both hands, the little Fuso Witch then decided to try pulling out herself (not sure if she tried because she wanted to test my theory or because she was curious to see why her superiors, who use bladed weapons themselves, couldn't unsheathe it), placing her right hand on the hilt and gripping it tight.

SHHH...

We watched as the katana's blade came out slowly before a familiar burst of blue aura came out of it. Yoshika froze as it surrounded her body, like she was afraid to do anything.

"Yoshika!" Lynette cried out.

Shit, I've gotta get that thing to stop!

"Sheathe it now!" I shouted as I ran up to her and gripped her right wrist with my right hand. What followed was the burst of pain I had felt back in Romagna. "Ah!" I let go quickly as I stumbled back a bit before I tried again. I won't let her faint this time! I've gotta stop this! "Sheath it now, pilot officer!" I grabbed her right wrist again and felt the pain return, but I persisted, placing my left hand on the scabbard. I managed to force her hand to slide the blade back into its cover, breaking the burst of blue aura. "There! Got it!" I then watched as Yoshika, now freed of the aura, loosened up a lot as she fell against my chest, the katana between us. I hugged her tightly to keep her as upright as I could. "Yoshika, you alright?"

"Yeah..." Yoshika replied weakly. "I'm fine..."

"Good...please, don't unsheathe that katana again. Not unless you have no other choice. I don't want you going through that again anytime soon."

"Yes...Roland-kun..."

"...Can you stand?"

"Yeah...a little..." I helped her onto her feet more securely and let go, watching her wobble a little before correcting herself completely. "I'm sorry..."

"Don't apologize, Yosh. No one could have predicted that happening again." I looked at Mio, who nodded, before I turned my attention back to the little Fuso Witch. "You _are_ feeling alright at the moment, right?"

"Yeah." She then looked at her hands, like she had been expecting something to have happened to them, but they looked normal...for the most part. "No red marks..."

"Red marks?" I think she may have gotten some from the Reppumaru when she had tried "messing with it". "Like magic burns?"

Yoshika went silent for a bit. "...I guess..."

"...Maybe some rest will serve you well. You four go ahead and, I guess...go take a bath or something. I'm going to talk to Major Sakamoto for a bit before I go relax myself."

" _Hai_." To her teammates, Yoshika added, "You guys want to?"

"Sure," Lynette told her quickly.

"Might as well," Perrine added.

"...Sure, Miyafuji," Shizuka replied, a little hesitant.

"Yay!" the little Fuso Witch said cheerfully.

As Mio and I watched the girls walk off to go through with the idea I gave them, I turned to look at the Fuso major and, once they were out of earshot, asked, "Why did you give Yoshika the katana?"

"I wanted her to have her own," Mio said calmly. "I think I had some reservations about that happening to her again. I'm more worried about you, though. Why did you step in and touch her during that burst of energy once again? You knew that the energy would have sent you reeling, so why?"

"Because..." I sighed. "I didn't want to see Yosh in that sort of pain."

"Sage, you're not her father. Miyafuji is more than capable of handling her own. Remember that you never existed in this world if what you say about our world is true, so she'd probably be able to fight on her own without your help."

"You think I don't know that?" I sounded ticked. "You guys are able to handle yourselves, but...I can't..." I closed my eyes and sighed. "I want to protect you all with whatever I have. I have to atone for something, right? I mean, I've lied to you all. I let you get hurt, major. I've caused harm to those I wanted to protect..."

"Sage..." I heard footsteps before I felt Mio set a hand on my right shoulder. Opening my eyes and looking at her, I could see that she had lifted her eye patch up to show her hidden eye, which seemed to have a purple-colored iris. "You have nothing to atone for. What you and your core did before meeting us doesn't matter. Hell, we've already pretty much forgiven you for lying to us back then. If it wasn't for you willing to fire those cannons that day, it would have been me in your shoes then. If anything, I need to atone for letting you do that alone. Because of that, you and Miyafuji lost your magic and your body took a permanent hit. So...please...tell me what you think is the best way to make it up to you."

I blinked. "Wait, what? You want to make it up to me? Why?"

"...Weren't you listening? I couldn't stop or help you, so it's my fault."

"That's not true, and you know it!" Noting Mio's shocked look (note to self: never seen her actually being shocked by me shouting), I added in a calmer voice, "Sorry. Anyways, if you're truly going to go through with 'atoning', then...please teach Yoshika how to use her katana to your best ability. I know that she knows how to use it at a basic level, but if she's going to use it to fight Neuroi then she's going to need to rely on more than a _R_ _eppuzan_ if she has to use a spell like that."

Mio nodded in agreement. "Alright. I will do what I can. Without magic, I can't show her how to properly do those sorts of spells, but I can help her master how to use a katana. Don't worry, Sage, she's definitely in good hands."

"Alright, I trust you." Maybe I should ask Kuji about it when I fall asleep later on tonight.

 **XXXXXXXXXX**

 **And there goes the next chapter in the story.**

 **Again, sorry if this chapter took a while to get put up. I've found myself getting sidetracked, either via playing something, messing with a new software, or doing things around here. The chapter itself was ready for a while, about a while after I started the next entry, but this took a little while to go over due to the extra details I had to double-check.**

 **But enough of that: time for some notes...**

 **First on the agenda: the katana Yoshika's currently in possession of. I had seen a picture of Yoshika where she had a katana on her back, and when I decided to create this chapter I chose to describe that particular katana as best as I could. I have no idea if it's connected to Kuji, though: his entry doesn't really have a picture of what the katana he was bound to looked like. Anyways, if you happen to have any idea about it feel free to let me know.**

 **Next, Roland's training drills. They look a bit normal at first, but as he pointed out the girls' ultimate goal is to try doing what the Neuroi Witch does for exercises. That's going to take a while, but I will be doing my best to make sure that it's good in its description.**

 **Finally, a bit of help with this one: while I have the second part of this done (minus editing and the whole "read through it and make sure it looks good" process done) and am currently working on the next two-parter...I am having a bit of trouble with figuring out how exactly the Witches of the 506th JFW (or Noble Witches, if you know them by that name) are personality-wise. I have looked around the wiki and checked any link that seems to give me more information about them when I can, but if you happen to know how they would act would you mind helping me out with this one? I'll be putting up a forum topic in the SHDF (yes, the forum I have not updated in...no idea how long right now, but yeah) along with some more updates, so if you would like to impart some advice, suggestions, or help me get a clearer grasp of them, please stop by and leave me your thoughts.**

 **Apart from that, please read and respond and let me know what you thought of this chapter. And please don't be afraid to point out something that doesn't make sense in the chapter at any point: some things from the previous stories have been pointed out, but so far I've got ideas based on those sorts of things. Plus, as there are OCs having met the canonical characters before the start of this series (and Roland's tales as the Ground/Neuroi Witch began), some things may have been adjusted to accommodate these sorts of things. However, if you think a character doesn't react in a way they'd usually react feel free to let me know.**

 **Anyways, thanks for reading, and I'll see you guys later.**


	4. Will To Protect (Part 2)

**Hello, and welcome to a new chapter of** _Strike Heroes 3: Global Revengeance_ **.**

 **Now, the first thing I should address is something that had come to my attention recently.**

 **...I'm guessing that you were hoping that I'd address the reviews first and then this upcoming matter? Well, while I normally would, this is more serious, so as such I want to get this out of the way before I either forget or spoil my day. Plus, if you end up feeling a little saddened then placing it as close to the top should allow you to focus on the story itself and get the thought out of your head.**

 **Anyways, I got a PM from someone Saturday telling me that someone had copied text from one of my stories,** _Strike Heroes_ **, even providing me a link to a case on a forum that I'll shorten to "TAPIR" (if you're curious about it and have no idea about what they do, look it up in the forums on this site). Long story short, I was really irritated as I was trying to enjoy what little time I have left for my break before classes start back up, and upon looking at the link and seeing more stories who had been victims of the author I got angry. I have fired off a PM to the author written as politely as I can while still retaining my disappointment (around a thousand words or so, so it wasn't really quick. If you are interested in seeing what I had written to him, please PM me), and according to the response (which I could verify before he sent it) he sent back to me he is rewriting the chapters. After deleting them.**

 **...Look, again, long story short, it's not exactly a warm fuzzy feeling to find that someone had basically plagiarized your work (in schools, you get punished severely by school standards if you pulled that sort of thing), and the author who had told me about the matter also said that he (the plagiarist) had blamed his beta reader so far (at the time), so you can probably understand why I'm going to go off on a rant and say the following (this is based on my PM to him but will only be the idea behind it for this instance): as a writer, even as a fanfic writer (those who write stories about a series or world that already exists, cross over ideas from two or more different series, and so on), it is** _your_ **responsibility to make sure that your work is the best it can be. This includes checking it for plagiarism if you're prone to doing so. Blaming your beta reader, no matter how much guilt said beta reader may actually have in the matter, is no excuse for avoiding your duty to check your story. As someone who has a beta reader of his own, I find it inexcusable to simply blame someone who helps you. I could understand if you pinned more blame to, say, a younger sibling if you failed to get something done (at least, when you were younger), but within the fanfic community I feel that you're not worth it if you can't take responsibility for your actions.**

 **I do think that everyone who writes has a chance to make something good, even create something that gets praised by a lot of people (I don't consider my own series to be a part of the praised category, but I believe that it's ultimately the readers' choice if it is or not), but if you're going to just copy, paste, adjust a few details, and post it as your own without even asking for permission then you're just wasting your potential. I write not so much because people enjoy my story as much as because I have a story I want told, and I put as much energy as I can into each chapter, even going through a chapter again once my beta reader takes a look at it to make sure things make sense.**

 **It's not really easy writing based on materials, either: I should know, I've depended on two seasons of the anime, the movie, one of the recent OVAs, and a translated transcript of Himebana. Which is why it's a good thing I chose to continue in a new direction rather than wait for a third season to dictate my choices: apart from my story being already planned to end at a predetermined point and the general events I want to occur inside, it's more challenging to make a story in unfamiliar territory, being forced to depend on a wiki, information and suggestions others give you along with searching things when needed.**

 **As for the matter of the plagiarist, I kept track of the case's thread as well as the story and saw if anything happens, among other things, and last night I was informed by the person who informed me of it originally that the matter was dealt with. So for any authors who had ever been affected by plagiarism or is dealing with it now (either by finding out yourself or someone telling you via PM or a review), you have my support.**

 **...**

 **Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to take a slight break. I'll come back for the closing notes, but until then, please bear with Lionelis as he assumes my spot.**

 **...**

 _ **Okay...apparently, he's gone to relax or something.**_

 _ **Let's see, the last time we had to take over for him we didn't really handle reviews. So let's see...ah, here are his notes on the matter:**_

 _Gamerman22 **: Thanks for the review.**_

 _kh2996 **: Not really too sure if he will eventually, but then again his sanity wasn't exactly all there to begin with so the chances of him going into a "Mio State" are rather likely. It all depends on what happens, though.**_

 _Nickel "NickelOnTheChessBoard" (Guest) **: Don't worry; you're not the first person who left me a review like that that I'm aware of and you almost certainly won't be the last. I'd ask why you'd suggest that song, but I then realized that I would rather listen to Survivor's "Eye of the Tiger" then that song from the original "Karate Kid" (not that it's a bad song, but when you play a co-op game of Saints Row 3 with your little brother and it is literally the**_ **only** _ **song he had on his mixtape you hear when you're in or on a vehicle with him outside of missions that seem to override the song you're listening to and play a song that was planned for a segment sometimes, you tend to develop a slight annoyance towards the song. Again, not that it's bad, but...). And don't worry about me taking offense to them; apart from the fact that I can't really tell what's considered a joke sometimes, you did bring up some valid points and I wanted to explain more about them. So if you want you can continue, but be forewarned: I might not see it as such, but I won't get angry. Unless it's something no one should be saying or something along those lines...**_

 _ **...And that's the end of the responses. No, really: there's nothing else on this paper. Though you think that sentence in the parentheses is a bit...we don't know,**_ **long _?_**

 ** _Anyways, here's the next chapter for the moment._**

 **XXXXXXXXXX**

 **Chapter 4: Will To Protect (Part 2)**

 _Roland's POV_

...And even the familiar that's connected to Yoshika doesn't know too much about it.

Well, that's not entirely accurate: he knows something about it but chose to not tell me. Even check this quote, and I quote this directly (Lionelis retained the transcript of what was said): "It's complicated, Roland-san. At the moment, the katana is not going to cause you or Yoshika-san issues. However, you are right in asking her to not use it unless needed; I need time to adjust her body to accept the energy inside the weapon."

"Need time" my ass.

I know that Yoshika can't use it at the moment (and that Kuji taking his time to prepare her body for the energy is admirable and all), but am I the only one who thinks that he's just buying some time to pull some "critical moment" thing?

...Probably just me, but who knows?

Anyways, I was still asleep, sitting inside the grassy plane a while after talking to Kuji about the katana and Mio training Yoshika. For some reason, the wolf in here decided to lay down on my right side, its back against me as it laid there.

I wonder: if this is Minna's familiar, then does it have a sort of friendly connection with me because the commander and I are going out?

I'm...actually afraid of seeing what happens if I ticked it off.

Hang on, is it a "he" or a "she"? I don't think I ever got an answer. For that matter, does it have a name?

"Krawatte, according to the wiki," Lionelis told me as he came over to see what I was doing.

I looked at the figure that the core assumed in this plane and asked rather bluntly, "Wiki? Huh?"

"The wolf there..." He pointed to the wolf laying next to me. "...is named Krawatte."

"Why did you..." I shook my head quickly. "Never mind, don't need more confusion!" I think his ability to read my narrations here stems from him being a part of me.

"Anyways, we think you need to leave for a while, Roland. We want to talk to Kuji about something, but we don't want you to hear about it."

"Hear what? What Kuji doesn't want to tell me concerning the katana?"

"Yeah. Sorry, Roland, but we'll tell you what we learn at a later date. Maybe later today. Besides, you haven't had a dream of any kind lately, so maybe you should go spend some time with that, see if you can relax a bit before waking up."

I sighed. "Fine, I'll go and see what I can find there. I'm holding it to you, though: you're in my body, after all."

"Don't worry, we wouldn't be able to forget it."

I closed my eyes and felt my body travel off to a part of my subconscious that seemed to handle my dreams.

No idea, but Kuji and Lionelis have managed to inform me sometime last week (after I saw the core go from two hundred feet to about one foot in front of my face) that, because the plane was rather...roomy, I was able to warp around the place simply by willing myself there. I could even leave the plane prematurely without having to wake up, just as long as I stayed asleep (my magic abilities didn't allow me to warp anyways, so once I woke up I wouldn't be able to do that for a shortcut), which allowed me to check out some of the other planes in here. It was rather good for avoiding having to die of loading screens...though I'm surprised that I don't even get one anyways.

XXXXXXXXXX

 _Opening my eyes again, I found myself in a dream...well, it felt like a dream. Hard to tell._

 _Also, I was laying on the ground chest first. And in a lot of pain. I think I could even feel some blood on the right corner of my mouth._

 _I tried weakly moving my right arm to wipe it off but found that I couldn't. Taking a look, I realized that I had somehow had my right arm cut off at the elbow, the end still bleeding. Trying to move my legs, I felt something hard around there. I turned my head slowly and noticed that there was a metal pillar or something that had fallen on my left leg, crushing my shin and foot. My right foot was resting against it, as if it was trying to pry it off its friend._

 _"Minna?" I radioed in weakly, using my left hand to press the button. "Where are you? What's going on?"_

 _I could only hear static from the other end. Very harsh static._

 _Banging my forehead on the ground gently, I tried again: "Minna? Please...come in..."_

 _Soon, I could hear something, but it was not what I wanted to hear._

 _"Karlsland...it's..."_

 _"Pull back! Neuroi Witch down!"_

 _"Trude! Where are you!"_

 _"Roland-kun! Hang on, I'm coming!"_

 _That's good, but...what is this supposed to be...a dream?_

 _"Erica?" I tried this time. "Shirley? Someone?"_

 _Suddenly, I heard something land in front of me, and when I looked up and at it I saw that it seemed to be something like the Witch Hunter I had encountered last, only this thing had a core visible on its chest that seemed to be extremely well-protected by a sort of black armor. The armor itself looked like it incorporated a Striker Unit or something because there was a set covering its legs._

 _" **Your best efforts were still not enough,** " the being told me as it turned its engines back on and floated over to me. " **Karlsland burns as your Witches flee, unable to comprehend the loss they had experienced. You won't be able to see the end of this, I'm afraid...** " It then pointed its right arm at me as a red glow emanated from its tip. " **This is the end of your legacy, human Neuroi: lost amidst the ruins of this once-populated country, never to see it return to its former glory.** "_

 _Finally, there was only red as the being shot..._

XXXXXXXXXX

With a quick huff, I woke up abruptly, staring at the ceiling.

...Damn, I haven't had a "good" nightmare like that in a while. Dunno if I'd call that something worth celebrating.

What time is it, anyways?

I raised my left arm to glance at the watch on my wrist and, with a quick glowing left eye, noted the time as seven minutes after midnight.

For some reason, I didn't feel inclined to go back to sleep. Something tells me, though, that I'm going to need my sleep badly.

Hang on, where's Minna?

I just now noticed the eyes of a sleepy Minna as she looked at me, looking as worried as a girl who just woke up could muster, from my right side.

"Roland, are you okay?" she asked sleepily.

"Yeah..." I told her. "I think. I had a bad dream, I think."

"What about?"

"...Hard to recall right now. The images were too real, but...I think you had died. I couldn't tell through the chatter and the lack of responses, but you had to have been dead." It took all I had to not tell her that her homeland had been destroyed in my dreams; it was bad enough I had no clue if she lived or not there, but that was...too real...

"Oh." Minna frowned as she laid against my chest, slinging her right hand across my chest and hugging me a bit. "Don't worry, Roland...I'm here. I won't go dying anytime soon, not with a team of people I can truly call friends and a boyfriend who's been to hell and back."

"Right." I don't know if hearing that made me feel any better, but she was right: with everyone doing their best to keep people from dying around here...

It took a few minutes before Minna drifted back to sleep, but I was still laying there, awake.

It wasn't that I didn't want to fall back asleep, but at the same time I knew that if I went back to sleep that I would probably be put back into that nightmare.

I need to get up and get some time to myself for a bit.

I slipped out of the cover, told Minna that I would be right back, gave her a quick peck on the right cheek, and went off to the dining hall.

I really hope that I can get back to sleep after an hour or two...

XXXXXXXXXX

"Roland-kun?" Yoshika's voice asked as I felt something shaking my right shoulder. Well, maybe "nudging it" is a better description. "Are you awake?"

"Hmm?" I grumbled as I opened one eye and saw the rather cute face of one little Fuso Witch staring right into mine. "What is it, Yosh?"

"You were sleeping at the table. Did you and Commander Minna get into an argument last night or something?"

"No...no. I just..." I sighed. "Never mind. Anyways, what time is it?"

"It's about seven-thirty. Lynne and I were going to get going on breakfast. Did you want to help by any chance?"

"...Probably not. I'm not one hundred percent right now." I must have fallen asleep at the table, but how long have I actually slept after that dream?

 _ **About an hour,**_ Lionelis told me. _**You finally went back to sleep around six-thirty.**_

 _Thanks,_ I replied to the core. _It's good to know that I at least have someone keeping track of time._

 ** _True. But we do want to apologize for not realizing that there was that nightmare to look at. It had been floating around for a while and we had thought that it would have gone away. Hell, we tried removing it, but it was like it refused to go quietly. We couldn't even touch it._**

 _...Wait, why would you touch my dreams?_

 ** _Well, someone has to manage these planes, and Kuji and ourselves are the only ones with knowledge on how to communicate with people via said planes, so it's only natural that we would be able to do something about the dreams and nightmares._**

 _Okay...I'm going to chalk it up to "don't ask" because that explanation makes almost no sense. Anyways, how was your talk with Kuji after I left?_

 ** _...Still can't tell you, but we can safely conclude that it went rather well. Well, as well as a conversation between a dog and a core who are close friends can go._**

 _Speaking of that, how far back do you and Kuji go? I never gave it much thought, so..._

 ** _It's been...a while. Let's just say that we were there when Kuji left his katana and fused with Yoshika._**

 _Ah. Don't want to talk about it?_

 ** _Long story. Long, long story. Long, long, long story...long, long, long, long-_**

 _Let's not quote that from_ Red Dwarf _, please. I'd probably fall asleep by the time you get done quoting that._

 ** _What about this, then: "He's Arnold, Arnold, Arnold Rimmer..."_**

 _...Damn you. I suddenly have a craving for watching that show again._

"Roland-kun?" Yoshika asked as I realized that she was still standing there while I was talking to Lionelis. "What were you trying to sing?"

"Huh?" I asked. I was saying something?

"Yeah. You were kinda singing something I couldn't recall having heard..."

"Really?"

Yoshika cleared her throat and started, in a sing-song voice, with a few words from the Rimmer Munchkin song at the end of "Blue". More specifically, the words leading up to the line Lionelis quoted.

...I really hate talking to myself mentally (well, not really myself, but as the voice doesn't have a physical body I can at least claim it...somewhat) sometimes. "Oh, that?"

"Yeah, what's that from?"

"...It's from 'Red Dwarf', a future British television show compared to your time period."

"'British'? Oh, you mean 'Britannian'?"

"Yeah. At least you made the connection."

"Well, they do sound the same..." the little Fuso Witch then blinked as she realized what she was supposed to be doing. "Oh no! I forgot! I'm going to go help Lynne with breakfast. Be right back!"

"Alright." As Yoshika left to go help Lynette, I stood up and pushed in my chair. "I'll be right back."

XXXXXXXXXX

"Come on, Sage. Don't tell me that you're getting weak."

Those were Mio's words as I was working on a set of three hundred push-ups she had assigned me.

Apparently, despite being second-in-command alongside Heidemarie, my rank meant little to Mio, who decided that (as the current cooks would be a while with making breakfast) now was the perfect time to do some exercises.

Why? To make the food taste better...or something. Dunno, but I think she wants be ready for a bath afterwards.

Think I said it before, but I will never know what goes through these girls' heads sometimes.

The only reason why she said what she said was because normally I'd be at about one-fifty by now.

At the moment? I'm barely reaching fifty, and my body's already going "Nope! I ain't taking this shit no more!"

Speaking of "taking this shit no more", my body decided to shut down, and I barely registered my chest hitting the ground hard (I had fainted for some reason).

Waking up slowly, I saw Mio kneeling next to me as she had dragged me off and propped my back up against one of the Launch Units they would use.

"You don't look very well," the Fuso major told me. "Have you gotten enough sleep?" She then raised an eyebrow. "You didn't have another nightmare, did you?" I could only nod my head slowly. "Oh my, you must have been an idiot and not gotten any more sleep afterwards. Well..." She sighed. "What was this nightmare about?"

...Might as well tell her: I couldn't tell Minna the whole thing because...well, it's her homeland.

So I told Mio about as much of the nightmare I had seen as I could: the being, what he said, and Minna's absence. The only thing I left out was the fact that, in the dream, I had been shot and (I'm guessing) killed.

"Oh dear..." Mio could only say as she took in what I had told her. "I might have some trouble sleeping as well if I had that sort of dream. You sure it's not a vision, though?"

"At this point," I began, "I'm not sure what to call it. The main thing is that it was a bad dream. I don't know if it's trying to warn me of a future where we fail and that we need to do something that would change that outcome or if it was just a nightmare played because of my guilt or something..."

"I see." She then stood up and nodded. "Alright, Sage-kun. I'll tell you something: I had a bit of the same dream, the dream you had, but...I could only watch as I watched my friends fall around me. People I came to trust...dying all around me. As a warrior, I wished to go with them, but...as a normal human being...I was terrified. It's one thing to have a Witch or two die every now and then, but to see half your friends dead and the other half get picked off one by one..." She then shook her head, as if to avoid thinking about it. "Regardless, it's just a dream. Whether it's trying to tell you something or not, it can't give a definitive answer. Yes, I'm afraid of seeing that sort of thing happen to us in reality, but at the same time I know that it's only one of many possibilities. Seeing you fight to keep us from failing, even if we don't fail in the anime you watched, tells me that we can fight our fates."

"Major?" What's with the "Sage-kun" now? You always just used my last name, and _now_ you choose to add in an honorific?

...Maybe I should feel honored or something...

"Just know that you're not the only one fighting to protect others," Mio added. "You've got Miyafuji and the Karlsland girls to back you up along with the rest of us. Just survive to try taking Karlsland back, for Minna's and the others' sakes."

"Don't worry, major," I replied with a nod. "I won't go dying anytime soon, right?"

"That's the spirit, Sage."

XXXXXXXXXX

 _Yoshika's POV_

"Um, Roland-kun?" I asked as Lynne, Perrine, Shizuka, and I were standing outside, at a firing range that the base had. "Why are we here at the firing range?" We were each holding a BAR that Roland had decided to provide us for the moment, complete with spare rounds that Commander Minna had been "collecting for her boyfriend's target practice".

"Considering that we've had...some issues with using other types of guns a while back," Roland explained. "I figured that we'd work on handling other types of guns in the event you have no access to a weapon you'd normally use. It's something Kayley taught me back on the _Ascension_. Now..." He then looked at each of us. "While I won't doubt your abilities to handle a Bee-Eh-Ar, it's at least good to see how comfortable you'd feel about handling something you're not normally accustomed to."

"Yeah, but..." I made a worried look. "That was you and Captain Nova..."

"Miyafuji, you should at least consider what Captain Sage is trying to get at," Shizuka told me. "While it's great to use weapons we're used to firing, there's a chance that we'll run out of ammo for every gun we have and have to grab a different gun."

"Pretty much," Roland added. "It's not much, but at least it's better than nothing. Speaking of which..." He then looked at me. "Yoshika? Why are you carting around that katana right now?"

I blinked as I looked at my back, which had the katana Major Sakamoto gave me yesterday, and said, "Oh...I wanted to get used to having it there..." Actually, it's somewhat true: I had been stopped by the major in the morning and was asked to carry it around with me for when we trained a bit. She said it was to get used to the weight of it on my back, but...it doesn't feel too heavy...then again, I've only really held a katana myself a couple of times, and it was the _Reppumaru_ those times. I never really carried a katana of my own on my back.

"...Alright, nothing wrong with doing that, I guess." To us as a whole, he added, "Let's see how well you handle some of these guns for a while."

XXXXXXXXXX

"Alright," Roland told us after thirty minutes of us firing off some random weapons (I think he must have went into our armory, played a few rounds of "eeny meeny" with what was in there, and called it a day...), "I think that's enough for a while. Besides, I think we just used most of the spare rounds Minna collected."

I lowered the Walther PPK I had been holding and looked as the others lowered theirs (Perrine had still been using a BAR, Lynne an Arisaka, and Shizuka was lugging around...a Browning HP?) before asking, "Roland-kun, how come we've used a lot of guns right now?"

"Well, I think I already explained it to you, Yosh. But as for why we've used a variety...well, variety is the spice of life, I believe I've heard someone say once."

"Oh..."

"Anyways, it's nothing to be too concerned about. You'd only be worried about it if the issue arises, but it's good to prepare for that sort of thing, right? Though...let's see...I'm going to take a quick nap, so for now I'll ask Major Sakamoto to deal with your exercises. We'll do some flight training when I wake up, alright?"

As he walked off a bit and used his radio to contact Major Sakamoto, I frowned a bit.

"Yoshika?" Lynne asked me. "Are you alright?"

"A nap..." I said to myself. "Does it have to do with why I found him sleeping at the table?"

"Yosh?"

I furrowed my eyebrows in thought. "Now...I know Roland-kun enough to try figuring out why he's acting like this...is he worried about something? Does he have insomnia? No, that wouldn't make sense because I would have noticed it on the _A_ _magi_. Narcolepsy? Nope...doesn't fit him...erm..."

"Yoshika!"

I blinked as I looked at Lynne, who looked really worried. "Oh, Lynne. What is it?"

My friend blushed a bit as she replied with, "Sorry about shouting...but you were talking to yourself for a bit..."

"Huh? Oh right, I was...wasn't I?"

"You're concerned about Roland, right?" Perrine tried. I only nodded my head. "My word...at least someone's worrying about him right now. He didn't even shoot alongside us, and he's usually doing the exercises with us unless it's after night patrol for him."

That's...surprisingly accurate: It's only been a few days, but he's usually doing whatever we're doing unless he's too tired to do so. This should be a time where he should be doing it but...why is he so tired?

Are you overexerting yourself using the core, Roland?

XXXXXXXXXX

 _Gertrud's POV_

"What do you mean, 'Roland is taking a nap'?" I asked Commander Minna, the two of us inside her office. "It wasn't his time for night patrol last night, so why is he taking a nap?"

"He said that he had a nightmare while sleeping and that he couldn't sleep very well, if at all," the commander told me. "He's sleeping in the room right now, if you really want to have a word with him."

I sighed. "Alright...how long has he been sleeping so far?"

"About an hour so far."

"That explains Major Sakamoto taking over for those girls' training."

"Well, she is able to oversee Roland's duties when he's unable to, and she was the one who proposed the idea of him helping with training, so..."

"Ah. Anyways, I wanted to ask...how do you feel about sleeping with Roland compared to sleeping in a bed by yourself?"

Commander Minna blinked. "Pardon me?" I think she was also blushing a bit.

"I was just curious, but...you're the only one I know of so far who's slept next to him. Though now that I think about it...Sanya's slept next to him before, right?"

"Uh, yeah. A-anyways..."

I lowered my eyebrows. "Hang on...he's not, you know..."

"Hmm?" The commander shook her head violently. "Oh no! He and I haven't done anything indecent! Besides, we both already agreed that we weren't ready to start a family just yet."

That is true: us Karlslanders are more military-minded (I guess that's a simple way of putting it) than most Witches, but...still... "You know, I just thought of something: you remember Frederike?"

"Frederike? You mean the Witch with a relationship that Karlsland Witches admire?"

"Yeah...ever think about how close it is with you and Roland?"

Commander Minna raised an eyebrow. "How so?"

"Well, you're in the top seven for Witches with the highest shoot-down count, going out with the first and so far only human with a Neuroi core inside him. Most of us never really thought it'd happen, so..."

"I see. Well, that is an interesting point, but he and I do have some things in common. We both worry about our friends and teammates and, I guess in a way, both lost someone close to us during the war. He lost Commander Ellios while I..." The commander went silent.

"Minna?" Is she still thinking about Kurt?

"I might never truly let go of Kurt's death, but at least I can say that I've found someone who I care about again. He may have a core inside him, but he's still human, and that's enough for me." Commander Minna then looked down at some papers she had been going through. "You know, you never really said why you wanted to speak with him. I just thought about it..."

"Well, I was hoping to talk to him about something."

"Oh. That's it?"

"Yeah. Speaking of which...any word on how other units around here are doing?"

"Not exactly, though...I did get an interesting proposition from someone."

"Really? Who?"

XXXXXXXXX

 _Roland's POV_

At least I feel a little better after my nap.

Two hours of sleep doesn't fix everything up completely, but it does allow me to operate my Striker Unit for a while...after some lunch, of course.

"Okay," Perrine asked me as I looked at the girls, who were floating right in front of me. "What are we doing right now, Roland?"

"Well, let's see...I wanted to work on some maneuvers," I told her.

"Ah. Rotte or-"

"Actually, I wanted to try something from high school."

The Gallian Witch stopped and looked at me with a confused expression. "High school?"

"Yeah. Ever played water polo?"

"...Are you serious?"

I frowned slightly. "Yeah, I'm dead serious. I played water polo and was on the swim team in high school. Are you jealous or something?"

"What?" Perrine's face turned red as she waved her hands in front of her. "No, no, no! I'm not jealous or anything! But..." Her face returned to normal. "You don't really enjoy taking a bath with us, so it's hard to imagine you actually being in the water with other girls."

Really? "Um, Perrine? There's a major difference between being in a body of water with a bunch of girls in swimsuits, no matter how revealing, and being in that same situation with a bunch of naked girls." I then remembered the times I've been forced into the bath and blushed deeply. "I've got so many memories I want to repress now...any sledgehammers around?"

"Not really..." Yoshika replied slowly. "Though why do you want a sledgehammer?"

"It's nothing." I shook my head to clear up everything. "Alright, we're going to work on something I've learned playing water polo. Basically, there are three people in the front, the point and the wings, while a fourth person is behind point, who is the trailer. One wing will go to the side, as if to go grab a ball in the water, while the point goes on the side which had the wing moved. The other wing and the trailer proceed to the front, where the trailer becomes point. In water polo, the wings would theoretically pass the ball to each other until the trailer arrives at his or her spot, at which point they would pass the new point the ball so that he or she would hopefully shoot it into the goal. Practically, they can still do it, but the theory is that it works best with no defenders. In reality, there'd probably be a defender or two in the area, ready to stop the ball from being passed. Also, the wings can make the goal themselves provided they can make the shot."

"Understood, sir," Shizuka told me, "but...we're not in the water, and there's no ball to be throwing around. We're going to fight a Neuroi using this strategy?"

"It's not a bad principle," Perrine added, "but Hattori's right. How would you be able to do something like that against something that's going to shoot you down? And in the air compared to water?"

"Well...we're going to modify it for our purposes. The idea is that we follow the movement but use it for a battle situation. So we're going to run it a few times to get used to the idea. The wing that goes outwards will fire at the enemy, hopefully distracting it while the others go through with their movement. The point will go in the direction of the moved wing and help with distractions or uses a shield to protect the person behind them while the other wing and the trailer go to their mark. The other wing will reach their spot first, so they will help with distractions. If we're lucky, the core will be shown to us, and the trailer can take it out while the Neuroi's distracted."

"So we're hoping to destroy a Neuroi that could very well just shoot at all of us using something designed more for a sport?"

I shrugged my shoulders. "I never said it was a flawless plan. That's why we're working on it: I would like to be able to work on a strategy with you four in order to see if there's any practical advantages to it. Plus, as we go I can adjust it to better suit any shortcomings we'd have. Anyways, let's start on training."

XXXXXXXXXX

 _Charlotte's POV_

"You know, watching radar is probably one of the most boring jobs I've ever done," Draco told me as we sat in the command room, studying the radar closely. There were some other men in the room with us, but they were busy keeping an eye on a separate radar. There was also an radio operator near us.

"At least Lucchini's taking a nap right now," I replied as I stared at the radar. "With things going the way they are now, she's probably going to need it."

"True. Though...staring at the radar like an expectant mother isn't exactly healthy."

I turned over to look at my friend and partner, who only gave off an innocent grin. "I am not like an expectant mother! I don't really see why you guys keep thinking I'm like a mother, especially with Lucchini around me!"

"Well, given her own mother, a comparison isn't too far from the truth between the two of you..."

"Yeah, I'd like to see you find some sort of comparison. Lucchini showed me a picture of her mother once, when we were stationed in Britannia. That was the first time I had seen a picture of Missus Lucchini."

"And?"

"Well, now that I thought about it we do have a sort of resemblance, especially as the three of us spent some time around Lucchini's mother which gave me some time to see some comparisons...but then again with Lucchini's fondling tendency I'm not sure how much we really have."

"Yeah. I can remember when the two of us were introduced to each other in Afrika."

"Oh yeah, Afrika...that was almost a lifetime ago, huh?" I chuckled a bit.

Draco joined in for a while. "Not quite. It kinda is if we based our introductions on Captain Sage's 'death'."

"...You know you can just call him 'Roland', right? I'm sure he's going to ask you to call him as such more often, if not place it as an order like he did with Captain Barkhorn."

"Well, I want to, but...he's a hero! He's the reason why I joined the military in the first place. I can't just bring myself to call him a name as personal as 'Roland', and unlike Captain Barkhorn I can actually use his first name comfortably."

"Yeah, and like her you just choose not to."

"But I'm lower in rank than him. Plus, it's a sort of honorific for me."

"Sure, sure..." Soon, I heard the radar give off a bleep. "Huh?" I looked at it quickly and saw that a green blip had appeared at the edge of the radar. "What in the world is that?"

"It appears to be a Neuroi," one of the other men told us.

I blinked. "What type?"

"Unknown, ma'am. Whatever it is, it's moving in a sort of straight line."

"Contact Commander Minna and notify her about it, Draco."

"On it, Shirley!" Draco replied as he reached for his earpiece. "Commander Minna, we've caught a Neuroi on the radar."

"Neuroi?" Commander Minna asked on our radio. "Any details?"

"Unknown typing, moving in a straight line."

"Most likely a scout," another man added.

"Apparently, the radar guys think it's a scout."

"Hmm...I'll give the order to scramble a group to deal with it," Minna replied.

"You don't need to send in a group, ma'am," the operator said. "There appears to be five of our own, one of them giving off the same signal as the bogey."

Same signal?

"Commander?" I asked her via my radio. "Where are Roland and the others?"

"They went out a while ago to work on some flight training..." Commander Minna started before she stopped and realized something. "Oh no...please don't tell me..."

Oh...shit...did Roland just... "He just...went...without..."

"...Only my _dummkoph_ boyfriend. I love him, but he should at least remember that the skies aren't always safe..."

XXXXXXXXXXX

 _Roland's POV_

"Alright," I said as I clapped my hands together once we finished the tenth run we did with "Operation Water Polo Drill". "I think we've learned that the trailer's got to focus more on getting to her position, in this case Yoshika." I looked at Yoshika, who looked a little embarrassed...wait, she looks a bit lost... "Yoshika? Are you listening?"

"Huh?" the little Fuso Witch asked as she looked at me. "Oh yeah, I'm listening."

"Right...anyways, I need you to pay more attention to when you're coming in. You want to get there in time to catch the enemy off guard, but you don't want to get there in time for them to take aim at-"

 _ **Roland?**_ Lionelis asked quickly. **_We're picking up something..._**

 _Neuroi?_ I asked mentally.

 ** _It feels like it...but...something tells us that the signature's similar to the last time you fought one..._**

 _Wait...a Witch Hunter?_

 ** _Yeah...shot to your left._**

"Yoshika, shield to your right, really large, now!" I barked quickly.

"Huh?" Yoshika asked, stunned. "Right!" She summoned a rather large barrier in time to block a beam.

"Was that...?" Shizuka asked as the girls gathered near me.

"Great," Perrine added. "We've got an enemy around, and we neglected to carry any weapons." I then watched as the girls all looked at me and gave as dark a look as each of them could give (to be fair, I really don't think Lynette can pull it off because she seemed to look more worried than something a dark look would give off. Perrine's I could handle, and Shizuka's about the same, though I'm more used to it given she's got about the same mentality as Gertrud, without the whole "loving older sister" thing attached to it. Yoshika's, however...hers seemed to give me the impression that she was having a really bad version of "that time of the month" right now. That, or I've forgotten that she can be pretty damn scary when she's pissed).

"Hey, I didn't realize that we were scheduled to have a Neuroi attack today!" I protested before sighing. "Though...with me around, I should have realized that I'm basically a beacon for them to come after and try turning off." I then shook my head. "Anyways, we don't have time for that! We need to figure out how to fight it without our gear right now." I reached my right hand to my earpiece and said, "Commander Minna, Captain Sage reporting. We're going to need weapons, dear."

"Already aware of that," Minna's voice replied. "I'm sending Barkhorn, Hartmann, Lucchini, and Eila over to give you some weapons and to help fight it. Can you tell me what it is?"

"Witch Hunter."

"...Oh dear...I'll let them know to make it quick."

"Alright, we'll run distraction until their arrival."

"What? Don't! You need to pull back!"

"And lead it to the base? Not a good option, Minna."

"You've got four girls and yourself there, with no weapons. Pull back!"

"We can handle a defense, ma'am."

"I just ordered you to-"

"Just trust me!"

I swore Minna stopped. "Alright...distract it...but I want you back here in one piece along with everyone else. That's an order, Captain Sage."

"Count on it, commander."

"And captain? I'd like to talk to you when you come back."

Oh boy...she's not happy with my decisions at the moment, is she? "Understood."

"She does not sound happy," Yoshika noted as I looked at the others.

 _ **Shield again, same location,**_ Lionelis told me. _**Target closing in. Time: about ten seconds.**_

"Shield up again, Yosh," I said quickly. As Yoshika did just that and blocked the attack, I thought of our options really fast, glancing down at my right wrist to see if I had my Barrier Bracelet with me this time. "Alright, Perrine. You and I are going to be running offense. Lynne, Shizuka, I want you backing us up with defenses."

"What about me?" Yoshika asked quickly.

"Your defenses are the strongest, so you're going to stick close to me in case the enemy slips a shot past Lynne or Shizuka. Under no circumstances do I want you to draw your katana; we'll beat this back if not destroy it without the blade."

"But..."

"No buts, pilot officer. Here it comes." I fired off a Tonnerre spell that zipped by the Witch Hunter, making it do an aileron roll past the spell as it slipped by Perrine, who barely fired off her own spell to keep it from attacking her. "Guard me while I enter Neuroi Mode."

"Understood!" the girls told me as I closed my eyes and focused on my objective.

XXXXXXXXXX

 _Yoshika's POV_

I could only look at the Witch Hunter, as Roland had called it, as Lynne and Shizuka worked on defending Perrine as the Gallian Witch fired Tonnerre spell after Tonnerre spell at it. Each spell she cast was simply flown past by the enemy before it slammed into Shizuka's shield.

"Shizuka!" I shouted as I flew over to help her out, charging at the Witch Hunter with a shield. This only made it fly back and get around me.

"What are you doing, Miyafuji?!" the Fuso sergeant replied. "You're supposed to be defending Captain Sage!"

Oh right! Roland!

"I've got it," Lynne told us as we watched the being fire a beam towards Roland. The Britannian Witch blocked it with her shield before she flew towards it. "Yoshika, get back to Roland before it's too late!"

"Thanks, Lynne!" I shouted as I flew back to Roland, turning around to watch Lynne and Shizuka try using their shields to do some damage to it. All they seemed to be doing so far was annoy it.

They wouldn't be able to use their shields to do any real damage. The only ones who could do that sort of thing were Lucchini and myself. Though I've only done it a few times, the main time I did it by myself was in a state of anger.

"Roland-kun," I asked Roland, "are you almost ready to fight?"

He didn't give me a reply, though he was starting to give off his usual glowing lines.

He's got to be close. Just hope he's going to be done before something bad-

"Uwah!" Lynne cried out as she had her shield slammed into by the Witch Hunter. This sent her flying back a bit as her shield dropped, and before she could correct herself the being fired a beam at her. Fortunately for the Britannian Witch, she wasn't cleanly cut in half by the attack, but...

" _YAHH!_ " I heard her scream as she felt it rush by her right hip. She then started falling, most likely in shock at the injury she had received.

"Lynne!" I shouted in vain as I watched Shizuka fly down to catch our fallen teammate.

"Miyafuji!" Perrine called out. "It's after Roland!"

I looked back at the enemy, which had disappeared.

Huh? It moved! It's not where I saw it last!

I looked around frantically, trying to locate the enemy.

Suddenly, a flash of red entered the corner of my eyes, and I watched as a thin beam slipped right past me, causing no injuries to my body. However, the person who was the target, Roland, was hit by it hard, his left side being hit.

I could only look on in shock as Roland's lines faded away. His eyes looked down at his injury before his Striker Unit disappeared, and the Neuroi Witch started falling towards the ground.

Roland...Roland got shot...because...

Because...

...

" _ROLAND-KUN!_ " I practically screamed as I flew after him. I could hear Perrine following suit, and the Gallian Witch caught up with him as she caught him in a bridal hold.

"Yoshika, calm down!" Perrine told me as I reached her once she came to a stop. "Roland's going to be fine." She then looked worried as she looked at his injury. "Right? He can't die yet..."

He can't die...not here...

We...we came here from Fuso...we got our magic back...and now...

And...now...

In a daze, I floated over to Lynne, who was unconscious as Shizuka was supporting her, and checked her wound. She only received a graze on her hip, but her panties were barely holding on around the area.

I checked her pulse and found that she was still alive, if only in shock at having been hit like that.

Roland, however...

I already lost my father...I don't want to lose Roland as well...not like this...

The Witch Hunter floated in front of us and gave off a noise that sounded like it was...laughing?

How dare...how...

First Lynne...and then Roland...

I snapped.

"You...you hurt Lynne and Roland-kun!" I shouted as I rested my right hand on the katana, ready to unsheathe it. "You...monster!"

"Miyafuji!" Shizuka tried calling out before I started sliding the katana out of its cover, feeling the same rush of energy as before. Only this time...it felt comforting.

I won't let this thing go! Not after what it did to two of my closest friends!

I readied it with both hands and closed my eyes as I recalled what Major Sakamoto had taught me.

I opened my eyes in time to see the being swing its right fist at me, blade ready to cut into me. Thinking quickly, I blocked it as a blue aura surrounded the blade.

What do I do? I can't use a _Reppuzan_ or even the _Shin Reppuzan_ : I can't risk losing my magic again due to having already lost them for a time.

I need to figure this out and fast!

"Back off!" I shouted as I forced it back, though I stumbled a bit in the air before I fixed myself. "I'm not afraid to kill you!"

The being gave off a scream before it charged at me again, making me block its attack yet again.

What can I...

Pushing it off of me, I then rushed at it, swinging a large uppercut at it as I barely watched the aura build up around the point of the katana.

 _SLASH!_

The being took the hit as I managed to cut its left forearm off, but it still floated there as the aura around the katana's point dimmed.

I readied my katana yet again as I lowered my eyebrows and said with a slight growl, "I won't forgive you for harming my friends..."

Just as I said that, a second being appeared between us as it seemed to be trying to shield its "partner" from harm.

"Another one?" Shizuka asked as she, supporting Lynne, and Perrine, supporting Roland, floated behind me.

I looked at the newcomer really carefully. It seemed to resemble Roland in shape, but...for some reason I couldn't get the feeling that there was something I was missing about it.

I tightened my grip on the katana as I started to go forward...

"Yoshika..." Roland's voice called out weakly.

I stopped as I gasped.

"Yoshika, we don't have time to deal with this!" Perrine told me.

"But..." I tried. The last time one of us spared a Neuroi like this, it spiraled out of control and resulted in Major Sakamoto getting hurt. What was worse, it led to the series of events that became the finale of our time in Britannia.

"Miyafuji, Sergeant Bishop and Captain Sage are already injured," Shizuka added quickly. "If we try taking on a fresh enemy in our current state none of us are going to be able to get back to base."

I looked at Shizuka and Perrine and said, "Guys..."

I don't want to repeat the mistake we made last time, but...if we don't get Lynne and Roland somewhere safe where we can treat them then they might have some complications. In Roland's case he's got a hole in him, so it's probably going to get worse without treatment.

The newcomer gave off some noise, and I looked at Roland, who was barely clinging to consciousness.

"What did it say?" I asked him gently.

"...It knows we've got backup arriving..." Roland said slowly. "So it's going to...retreat..."

Retreat?

All of a sudden, Roland gave off a harsh cough as he fainted, making us panic.

"Captain!" Shizuka called out.

I looked at Perrine, who looked a bit uncertain about what we should go with. Do we retreat as well or try taking it and hold it off until Captain Barkhorn and the others make it here?

...I don't want to lose Lynne or Roland...so...

"Perrine?" I asked quickly.

"Huh?" the Gallian Witch aksed before she quickly realized my decision on the matter and reached up to her earpiece, radioing Commander Minna. "Commander, this is Perrine. We're pulling back."

"What do you mean?" Commander Minna asked. "Roland's the squad leader-"

"Roland's incapacitated at the moment along with Lynne, ma'am! We need to get them back to base and fast!"

"What?" the commander's voice sounded like she was shocked to hear about her boyfriend's condition. "I'll order the others to engage it. We can't just-"

"That won't work! There is a second Witch Hunter in front of us, coming to rescue the one who attacked us. If we engage, we'll be fighting two of them!"

Commander Minna's voice went silent for a while. "...Alright. Captain Barkhorn, your team will cover Roland's while they pull back a safe distance. Escort them back to base."

"What about the enemy?" Captain Barkhorn asked.

"For now, our main priority is getting Lynne and Roland medical attention. We can't risk having most of our unit wiped out by a weakened enemy and its fresh backup. Especially as we have no idea about their ability to work together."

"...Understood."

I could only look at Roland as I sheathed the katana.

I'm sorry...I'm so sorry...

XXXXXXXXXX

 _Roland's POV_

I opened my eyes very slowly and was immediately greeted with a surge of pain around my stomach. I fought the urge to cry out in pain as I closed my eyes again.

What happened to me? I only really remember Lynette getting shot while I was entering Neuroi Mode, me hesitating as I lost focus for a bit, and then...

That shot...it got me hard, didn't it?

I lifted my head and took in my surroundings. I was in the infirmary, that much I could see; a lot of beds. Across from me was Lynette, who looked to be sleeping as she seemed to be wearing one of those gowns someone who's going to go through surgery or something in a hospital would be wearing. To my right was a nightstand with a lamp sitting on it, the device off at the moment. There was also a vase filled with...I can't tell which flowers they were, but it was a yellow-green variety as far as the petals went. They also seemed to be rather small and in bunches.

Curiously enough, there was a card next to the vase, and I could make out the words "der Frauenmantel" written on it in a rather neat handwriting.

I suddenly felt something shifting to my left, and I looked over at the source of it to see Yoshika, sitting in a chair next to the bed. Her head was resting on my stomach as her face was pointed at mine. It seemed like she was sleeping based on her closed eyes. She also looked worried about something...about me?

I nudged my left arm a bit and learned that she was laying on it, so I raised my right arm gently and ruffled her hair a bit.

"I'm not going until they're feeling better, ma'am..." the little Fuso Witch said sleepily.

"You know that there are more productive things you could do than laying on my stomach, right?" I asked her. "Reading a book, sleeping in a sitting position..."

Opening her eyes sleepily as she lifted her head, Yoshika looked at me and blinked. "Roland-kun?"

"Yeah. I'm alive still."

Rubbing her eyes, she then jumped up and hugged me tight, her arms across my shoulders as her head rested on my left side. "I'm so sorry, Roland-kun! It's my fault I...I..." I heard her sniffle a bit.

Her fault? For what? "Yosh?"

"I couldn't do anything to protect you. Not after Lynne..."

Lynne... "She's alright, isn't she?"

"...Yeah..." Another sniffle. "She got grazed, but I couldn't really treat her as quickly as I wanted. Not after..."

"Miyafuji," Mio's voice said suddenly.

I sat up carefully so as not to feel more pain as I looked past Yoshika and saw Mio and Minna standing there.

"What's wrong, major?" I asked.

"It's nothing, captain," the Fuso major replied. "Miyafuji. Go get something to eat. We need you ready in the event we get attacked after yesterday's events."

... _Yesterday?!_

Yoshika relinquished her grip on me as she stood up, faced Mio, and nodded her head before she ran past her superiors. Once she was deemed as "safely out of the room", Minna started walking over to me.

Oh no...is she going to...?

"Minna?" I asked quickly as she reached the left side of my bed. "L-look, I'm really sorry that we couldn't take out that-"

SLAP!

And my left cheek is now stinging.

"Ow..." I groaned.

"You promised me you'd come back in one piece, captain," Minna told me. "Instead, you and Lynne get injured, and the enemy got away."

"Really, commander, I'm sorry. It's my fault the mission went sou-"

I then felt Minna hug me tightly, forcing me back into a laying position. "I'm just glad you two are alright..."

"Anyways, I suppose you have some questions for us to answer, right, Sage?" Mio asked me as she approached behind Minna.

"Yeah..." I said slowly. What do I ask first? "What did you mean by 'yesterday'?"

"You had been unconscious for over half a day after you and Lynne got shot. We at first thought that your core had been hit or something, but while Miyafuji was healing you we didn't see anything around the wounded area."

"Oh...what about Lynne?"

"She's fine. She got a grazing mark just above her right hip, but it wasn't anything Miyafuji couldn't heal. She's scheduled to be checked on and hopefully cleared in a few minutes. Just to make sure since she was the second one to be healed. You, on the other hand..."

"How do you feel?" Minna asked me as she let me go and stood to Mio's right.

"Honestly, like shit," I told them. "Physically, I feel fine apart from the phantom pain or whatever you'd call it, but it's getting to be a little bearable. Mentally...I'm not sure..."

"I'd punish you and your group for letting the enemy get away that easily, but your injuries took priority. Plus, you had no other choice as far as getting everyone home safely was concerned. I'm just surprised that Perrine was the one who told me the situation..."

"Somehow...I think Yoshika had something to do with it..."

"According to her report, Perrine said that she had told Commander Minna what she said because Miyafuji had made the choice," Mio added. "A bit odd, but she's training in medicine, so it was her call as far as risking your health was concerned."

...What about her father's fate? Did she make the choice to retreat because she feared that she would have lost me and Lynette as well like she had "lost" him?

"I see..." I began as I got an idea. "Permission to get checked?"

"Why?" Minna asked.

"I think I've got enough rest at the moment, enough to counteract the one Mio had stripped from me two days ago and my nightmare from yesterday. Besides..."

XXXXXXXXXX

 _Yoshika's POV_

I sat on the runway, a _bokken_ in my lap.

Major Sakamoto had said that she was going to train me after breakfast when I told her about me drawing the katana yesterday. Something about "making sure I reached my full potential".

...I'm still worried about Roland and Lynne...I know that after I got done with eating, they entered the dining hall with Major Sakamoto and Commander Minna, so they were fine, but I couldn't bring myself to look at them at the moment. Not until I had some time to go through what happened properly.

That sort of power...what was that? It felt like it was the _Shin Reppuzan_ when I did that attack, but it didn't destroy the Witch Hunter. I'm pretty sure Major Sakamoto never told me of any other techniques like that, so I wasn't sure what I had done.

 ** _Are you okay, Yoshika-san?_ ** a voice asked me. For some reason, it sounded a bit...like a child.

 _Who's this?_ I asked in return.

 _ **It's me, Kuji. Your familiar.**_

...Hang on, what? _My familiar?_

 ** _Yeah. I never really got a chance to talk to you until now, Yoshika-san. I do apologize._**

Okay...I think I'm going a bit insane...I mean, I know that Witches can have an innate connection with their familiars, but...why is mine speaking to me?

Wait, did it talk the day we met and he became my familiar?

 _...Okay, I think I understand what's going on._ I told Kuji (as he named himself).

 ** _You're going off of your interactions with Roland-san for figuring this out, right?_** Kuji said.

 _Yeah...wait, how do you know him?_

 _ **Long story, but** **I have been keeping an eye on him since you two met.**_

 _Okay...um..._

I think Kuji looked at the _bokken_ through my vision. **_You're wondering why you were able to use the katana how you did?_**

 _Yeah...let me guess: you looked at the time?_

 ** _You could say that. Anyways, the katana that you used is the same one I had been attached to. I'm unsure about why it ended up here, but as I'm your familiar you're able to use it. Only you, though._**

 _So...that explains why Roland-kun and Major Sakamoto were unable to unsheathe the katana._

 ** _Exactly. Imagine what would happen if any old busybody got a hold of it and started swinging it around._**

 _I guess that's a slight concern as far as being a weapon goes...anyways, what's the katana called?_

 ** _You know...I forgot what it was called. I just called it the "Kanesada" or something because I was in it. Besides, humans have a weird habit of renaming old weapons sometimes, so if you've got a good name for it, let me know._**

 _Okay...um..._

"Hey, Yoshika," Roland's voice said suddenly, snapping me out of my thoughts.

I looked up and saw that the Neuroi Witch was holding a _bokken_ of his own in his right hand, Major Sakamoto and Lynne each holding one themselves.

"Roland-kun!" I shouted as I got onto my feet. "Lynne!" What were they doing here right now?!

"Before you ask, Lynne asked the major if she could join us. I just wanted to get some training in with a sword. Besides, it gives us some time to talk."

"Talk?"

"You remember how I trained you in using a _bokken_ , Miyafuji?" Major Sakamoto asked me.

"Y-yes, ma'am!" I saluted quickly with my left hand.

"Excellent! We'll start by warming up doing vertical cuts, so...begin!"

We each gripped our respective _bokken_ with both hands and started swinging it down in front of us.

You know...this reminds me of when Lucchini, Perrine, and I did this once back in Britannia...I think Roland was off the base with Commander Minna and Lynne at the time.

"Hey, Yosh?" Roland asked me.

"...What is it?" I asked carefully. I guess I have to listen to him tell me something I didn't want to hear...

"Thanks..." He gave off a smile.

I'm so sorry you and Lynne got-wait, huh? "Why are you saying thanks?"

"If it wasn't for you making the call for Perrine, I think I might have bled out or something in the air."

"Please don't say that. I was the one who failed to shield you from that attack! I-"

"You know, now that I think about it, you look really cute when you're like this."

... "...What? Cute?" I blushed a bit. Why is he saying that sort of thing? I mean, I could understand if he thought I looked cute, but he's nineteen and has Commander Minna! That doesn't really seem right...

"I'm just putting it out there. Anyways, I did want to ask you if you're still going to not use the katana."

I chose not to respond to that question.

"I guess you're going to be using it then...so promise me something: under no normal circumstances are you to use a _Reppuzan_ or a _Shin Reppuzan_. If we ever need it to finish off something akin to the giant core in Venezia, then please do so with the knowledge that you're possibly giving up your magic once more once you perform it, but if it's something trivial, like a small flier..."

I nodded my head. I know that he doesn't want me going overboard with dispatching enemies that don't need overkill.

I watched as his smile faded as he focused ahead and continued with his warm-up.

"Ōramaru," I told him.

Roland stopped mid-swing. "What?"

"I'm calling the katana that. What do you think?"

"That sounds...good. It's your weapon, though, so if you like the name stick with it."

"Thanks!" I gave off a big smile.

"And there's the Yoshika we know and love."

We spent the rest of the time working on techniques, but the whole time I was in a great mood: I managed to use a new spell with the katana (no clue what it is, and I need to ask Major Sakamoto about it later on), and I mended my worries about Roland's injuries.

"Lynne, try focusing on your swings a bit more," Roland told the Britannian Witch as he noted that she was handling the _bokken_ awkwardly from the corner of his eyes. "I'm not saying that you should be gung-ho on how tight your grip is to the point of making your hands red, but you don't need to be having your grip too weak while doing so." I then watched as he put his weapon down and worked on her grip for a bit, even helping her with getting more used to how her grip should be.

Now to figure out how to make Lynne feel better...

XXXXXXXXXX

 _Roland: Next time on **Strike Heroes 3: Global Revengeance...**_

 _Minna: We've got a joint operation to perform, dear._

 _Roland: Joint operation?_

 _Kuroda: It's great to meet you in person, Roland-san!_

 _Yoshika: Can someone explain to me what's going on?_

 _Lionelis: **You don't want to know...**_

 _Heinrike: Next time: **Operation Noble Sage**_ _._

 _Sanya: Um...did someone else hear that?_

 _Roland: ...No comment?_

 **XXXXXXXXXX**

 **And I'm back. I do apologize for leaving like that, but I felt that it was either that or continue in a rather sour mood, so I chose to leave.**

 **There is some good news, though: when I came back for this, I found this tidbit for some reason and thought I'd share it with you...**

 **XXXXXXXXXX**

 _Gamma's POV_

" _You better be glad that our leader got to you before that 'kid' decided to finish you off,_ " we told the Witch Hunter that had attempted to kill the group training yesterday, designated "Epsilon". Ever since it had come back with our leader, we (by that we mean "the rest of our group") had to listen to Epsilon complain about losing its left arm, something it should be thankful for as far as it being the only injury it received. We have no idea why we had to put up with it right now, but rebuilding lost body parts takes some time to do.

" _It's humiliating, Witch Hunter Unit Gamma,_ " Epsilon told us. " _Besides, you and our leader are pretty much the only ones who came down to check on us since we came back in this condition._ "

" _Something we're still trying to figure out. Why did you choose to come down here with us, sir?"_

Our leader didn't say anything.

 _"Well, we think we should go there and just charge the place,_ " Epsilon offered as a sort of plan. " _It took a group of eight Witches combined to fight you, Witch Hunter Unit Gamma._ "

" _And yet a group of five Witches managed to best you with only one 'kid' and her katana._ "

" _That's a different story! Besides, we did tag that human Neuroi, What's-His-Name, and one of the other Witches, so it's not a complete loss. We can go in knowing that they're down at least two members._ "

" _You know the exact nature of our existence, right, Epsilon? Kill, not incapacitate._ "

" _Enough you two,_ " our leader told us as it faced the open hole we had created in the portion of the hive we had been assigned to. " _Until we get orders from higher up to engage them, we're to be on standby. There's an operation going on tomorrow, so we need to be ready to go in should they decide to send us in for help or mop-up._ "

" _Yes, sir,_ " both we and Epsilon said.

" _Besides...it's good to let them relax. With their guard down, it'll be that much easier to finish them off. We, Witch Hunter Unit Lambda, will be the one who finishes off the Neuroi Witch._ "

 **XXXXXXXXXX**

 **And that's the true end of the chapter. I won't be doing that sort of thing a lot, but do expect them for some moments.**

 **Really quick, though: if you know exactly what song Roland refers to, you get a thousand points (the equivalent to a lungful of air; it's needed when you want it, but you use it up as soon as you get it). If not, then either watch the show or just look up the song. Extended or not. Really, look the song up right now if you want. I can wait; these are just words on a screen, so they can wait if you're inclined to look it up really fast. There's not much to the rest of this. Plus, you can at least have the knowledge that you know what I'm talking about.**

 **...Though I will say this right now: I don't hate the song with a passion. I actually like it because it fits Rimmer's personality.**

 **On the matter of the plagiarism, I do apologize for mentioning it, but it's kinda part of my personal duty to avoid getting my personal and writing lives tangled with each other as much as I can, though as it involved a story I finished about two years ago I couldn't just leave you guys in the dark. I was also planning on releasing this next week, but my beta reader recommended that I let you guys know as soon as I could, and as I had said last chapter that this was pretty much ready it was only fair that this was the one I chose to put up to let you guys know. So for the next arc I hope you guys don't mind if I take a little extra time to work on it.**

 **Now...time for something that's better than talking about plagiarism: I have two announcements.**

 **The first announcement is that I am considering working on some more stories. The list of them will be put up as a poll, but for now I will go over the project names and a brief overlay of them:**

 **1) _Project Draco_ : This project will be taking place within the six months between the end of **_Strike Heroes_ **(and the anime, of course) and the point where the Strike Witches are reformed, and will be starring Draco Leonardo Dracon, a character introduced in** _Strike Heroes 2: Roland's Return_ **. The exact details are unclear even for me, but I am planning on having him within the timeline for the** _Witches of Afrika_ **series (to note, I still have to do some editing, so please bear with me until I get that sort of mistake fixed).**

 **2) _Project HD RPG_ : This is going to be a crossover between **_Hyperdimension Neptunia_ **(specifically, based on the "Re;Birth" series) and** _Strike Witches_ **, and will be starring a new character. I cannot say who she is exactly at the moment, but as you probably already know it will be a female character. Unless you guys really want me to make it a male character. Anyways, apart from me wanting to branch out from working with a single series, I had been wanting to try my hands at the original** _Hyperdimension Neptunia_ **game but never really found it (the only one in the series before the "Re;Birth" series I saw as a hard copy was the second game, but that was a really long time ago), so when I learned that it was on Steam I decided to get the first two in the "Re;Birth" series along with DLC for them along with a third game that I will not reveal for the moment though I do have plans to show that game at a particular point in** _Strike Heroes: Modern Lives_ **. Oh, and a program that I'm still getting used to operating.**

 **3) _Project Collab_ : This is a collab that I have planned to work on with my beta reader. We had thought of doing one a while back and have even gotten a chapter done for it, but with our separate scheduling we never really found more time to keep working on it. At the moment, this one's focus will not be revealed until we decide on something, but rest assured that we do have ideas.**

 **4) _Project Reaper_ : Finally, this is something that someone had suggested that I do some time after I put up my first chapter in **_Strike Heroes: Modern Lives._ **I had originally wanted to do this sort of thing with Roland and the Strike Witches (minus Draco) but had stopped after a while due to not really knowing where I wanted to take it. However, this will be happening...maybe. This story will be a** _Mass Effect_ **and** _Strike Witches_ **crossover beginning about two years after** _Strike Heroes: Wings of Freedom_ **and utilizing the "What-If?" events for each Witch (and some made for Roland and Draco).**

 **As far as these four goes, I am not going to start publishing any of them until I've finished Project Himebana. However, because of this, I am going to be removing two stories I had said I would be working on: Projects Trainer and Hope. The first one I'm removing because I have next to no idea if I want to make it a particular way or not, and the second one is because...well, I think someone else did a better job on the fusion (in my opinion), so I'm going to drop it for now. Just because I'm doing so doesn't mean that they're not ever going to appear, but I want to not have to worry about a situation like Project Himebana, in that it took around a year before I got enough courage to put up the first two chapters.**

 **Anyways, the second announcement pertains to this story. I'm planning something special for the eleventh chapter: omake!**

 **...Yes, I have an idea of what an omake is...I had to look it up after seeing the term once.**

 **Anyways, this is going to be the first time I'm going to be doing something like this, and as I am not exactly planning a three-part arc or anything, I chose to do this for the story. I'll be setting a thread on the SHDF on the matter in case you want to suggest ideas there, but if you feel more comfortable laying them here or sending me a PM, I will accept them and look them over.**

 **Anyways, that's all I've got. Please read and respond and let me know what you think about this chapter.**

 **Thanks, and I will see you guys in the next arc.**


	5. Operation Noble Sage (Part 1)

**Hello, and welcome to the start of the next arc.**

 **Now, before we get going on replying to reviews, I do want to apologize for the rather...lengthy...tirade? Lecture? Rant? Whatever it's called, I do want to apologize for it at the beginning of last chapter. I don't regret how I felt about the matter, but...I think I dragged out a point that should have been made in a paragraph. If that killed any momentum for you before you started reading (if you lost any before actually getting to the chapter) I do apologize. Also, I do apologize for the (probably extreme) lateness of this chapter. Not really caused by the cause of said issue so much as some timing...and procrastination...and life...you might see my point. Also, close to two months? I think I'm losing my edge. I will talk about some things at the end of this chapter, though, so please stay tuned until then.**

 **Now, with the apology over with, let's get going before I go into another lengthy speech about something (don't know what I'd talk about, but I'm not risking finding something to talk about at the moment!):**

 _Gamerman22_ **: It's a trait he's getting to be fortunate for having. The strange part about the Witch Hunters themselves is that they're kind of fusions between two particular Witches in the 501st (spoilers, but then again with the amount so far it's a close no-brainer). Depending on which Witch their body is modeled after, their main features will be the one that take dominion over the overall shape. Some exceptions will exist, sure, but I'll probably be making a bio page going over each one as they're introduced (along with other types of Neuroi I create or receive via suggestions).**

 _Karl the Artillery Piece_ **: Pretty sure they're not...though Duke might be considered one (well, a close approximation of one, but not truly; he's got his own goals). Apart from that, thanks for the review.**

 _kh2996_ **: When you're designed with the idea of taking down humanity's trump card as effectively as possible, you tend to develop toughness. That, and people don't really know how to handle you when you first begin your assaults. As for Lambda, he's closer to being Roland's version of Kai Leng but for the sake of sense we'll consider him and Gamma as having that position (Lambda via leading and Gamma due to having made first contact with Roland out of their group).**

 _Empty_ _Promise_ **: Oh, you have no idea...as long as you guys consider future ideas that make it as good.**

 **...And that's all for the reviews. Now let's get to the main event (for the moment): the arc where the Strike Witches (some of them) will perform an operation with the Noble Witches (again, some of them)!**

 **XXXXXXXXXX**

 **Chapter 5: Operation Noble Sage (Part 1)**

 _Roland's POV_

It was just another fine morning here on the St. Trond base...

" _EEK!_ "

"Dammit, girls! Put a sign out or something, jeez!"

...Well, it would be fine if my morning shower had occurred without any hitches in it...

As such, I was not lucky and, going to the showers for a morning shower to wake me up a bit more, had stumbled into Mio taking a shower with Lynette, Yoshika, and Shizuka. You could probably imagine the rest...

 _ **You know,**_ Lionelis told me as I sat down on the ground next to the doorway leading to the showers, w _ **e never understood why they'd feel somewhat comfortable taking a bath with you there yet have some reservations when you accidentally stumble in on them taking a shower.**_

 _They're used to the former because Mio's made it a point to say that we should do things as a team_ , I explained to the core. _The only one who isn't exactly is Shizuka, perfectly understandable...though you'd think that public bathhouses would translate into taking co-ed showers somehow..._ Best not to think about it, Roland: you're just going to cause yourself more problems.

I sighed as I flopped onto the floor in a sitting position, a white towel sitting on my lap as I sat Indian-style (I believe that's the variation. I only remember it as "criss-cross apple sauce" or something like that).

... _ **Criss-cross...**_ Lionelis began.

 _Not a word!_ I shouted mentally. Today's lesson: don't say sensitive things in your narration. This goes double for you, Jimmy.

 _ **...You know, we do a better job at breaking the fourth wall.**_

 _So?_

 ** _Well...could you leave it to us?_**

 _I'll think about it._

 ** _...That's going to be a no, isn't it?_**

 _Eh, guess so..._

I closed my eyes and hummed something to myself, something from a game I had remembered playing.

"Roland-kun?" Yoshika asked as she poked her head out from the doorway leading to the showers. "Erm...we're done with our showers, so if you want..."

"Huh?" I asked her as I looked at her. She had a white towel covering her, her right hand holding it against her chest. "Oh, right. Yeah. Just in case, can you tell Shizuka that I'm sorry for barging in like that?"

XXXXXXXXXXX

"Pervert..." Shizuka only said about thirty minutes later as she, Yoshika, Lynette, Perrine, and I were walking down the hallway, heading to the dining hall for some lunch. The little Fuso Witch had her katana (the _Ōramaru_ ) on her back.

"It was an accident!" I protested. "Besides, you're from Fuso! You have public baths!"

"She does have a point," Perrine noted as she raised her left index finger. "Your track record for groping has been me twice, Commander Minna who know how many times-"

I waved my hands in front of me quickly. "D-don't say them out loud! Also, that's entirely different from barging in on a bunch of girls taking a shower!"

"Just pointing out facts, Roland."

"I still can't believe that you're a pervert from a different universe," Shizuka added.

"H-hey, they were all accidents!" I said quickly concerning the accidental gropings. I'm not a huge pervert! I just don't have good luck when it comes to avoiding things like that...

 _ **You sure about that** **?**_ Lionelis asked.

 _Not now!_ I screamed mentally.

"Roland-kun doesn't generally mean it when things like that happen," Yoshika said in my defense. "He's too...nice most of the time to go that far."

Thank you, Yoshika...hey! I have a mean side! It's just a lot more violent than I remember it...

"At least I don't do something like tell you something I probably shouldn't know," I added.

The girls looked at each other before they looked at me as one unit.

"What?" I asked carefully.

"Is there something you'd like to share with us, Roland-kun?" Yoshika asked. For some reason, she sounded a bit more...devious?

...My spine is getting very cold all of a sudden. "...No, ma'am!"

 _ **You should stop while you're ahead,**_ Lionelis warned. _**We'd like to still be alive.**_

"Good," Yoshika concluded as she went back to her cheerful self.

A Yoshika who's not cheerful is a Yoshika I don't want to be on the receiving end of. The amount of Neuroi she's destroyed in a non-cheerful state is rather...brutal. For a little Fuso Witch whose magic is very powerful.

"Anyways, speaking of things like that," Perrine continued as she decided to change the subject, "how is Commander Minna holding up concerning you two?"

"She's doing rather fine...minus the tight hugging in the middle of the night sometimes," I told her as the chill in my spine receded.

"I see. You're not, you know..."

Know...what?

...

...

...Seriously? When do kids learn about that sort of thing in this age?

"To answer that question without reverting back to the previous conversation," I chose to explain, "Minna and I have promised each other that we wouldn't do anything...deep until we're both ready for it."

"At least you're taking it easy," Lynette added. "Still, it must be nice, having someone to be with..."

"Hmm?" I was confused.

"I'm not sure if I told you guys, but my older sister is married."

"Older sister...who's that again?"

Lynette raised an eyebrow. "You forgot?"

When did she tell me...? "Lynne, I've got eight languages and etiquette lessons crammed into my brain. Plus birthdays, some memories I'm trying not to lose, random things, and names that are either different than the ones I was given..." I glanced at Perrine really quick. "...or really long. I do apologize if your sister's name escaped my mind."

"Oh. That's true...I forgot that everyone was teaching you something after a while in Romagna."

"Speaking of which," Shizuka chose to ask, "what languages do you know?"

"You want by my world's standards or by this world's?" I replied.

"Ours, if possible."

"I can understand and speak some Fuso, Gallian, Romagnan, Suomos, Orussian, and Karlslandish. I have a better mastery of Hispanish than those six, and Britannian is my mother tongue."

"Ah. What are they in your world's?"

"Japanese, French, Italian, not sure which but maybe Finnish, Russian, German, Spanish, and English. In that order."

 _ **It's a good thing you've got us to help with the load,**_ Lionelis told me.

"Anyways, my older sister is Wilma," Lynette explained. "She turned twenty some time after we liberated Gallia and got married some time after. I last saw her about a week before we met up with you and Yoshika at Perrine's castle."

"That's good to hear. I've really got to meet her when I get a chance..." I frowned.

"Don't start, Roland," Perrine told me quickly.

I blinked. "Huh? Start what?"

"You get all gloomy and depressed when you start thinking about family. You've got us at the moment. We're all pretty much one big family thanks to you and Yoshika."

"...True. Still, I'm that easy to get like that?"

"If we were in your position, we'd probably get like that too, so it's not your fault. Still, you should be used to it by now, my word."

"True. Anyways, who's cooking right now?"

"Actually, I don't really know," Yoshika replied. "I think Commander Minna is cooking."

"I'm not sure. No disrespect to her, but for some reason I can't see her having the time to cook due to all the paperwork she has to take care of."

"You never know..."

I chuckled. "True. Anyways, as long as I have some time to relax I'll be fine."

We soon reached the dining hall, where we were soon greeted with Minna sitting at the table with some faces I couldn't recognize. One looked to be a young-looking girl wearing some black leggings that reached up to about halfway up her thighs (due to where the entrance was, it was easy to see that sort of detail compared to entering behind someone). On her feet seemed to be a pair of white socks, with what I'm going to assume were flip-flops (note: ask Mio about them just in case), some arm covers of sorts that seemed to go past the elbows and under the sleeves of her shirt. Covering her groinal area ( _ **Bad way to put it, Roland...**_ ) was something that reminded me of a purple apron if someone had only made the bottom half and decided to give it a sort of fanning effect, tied into place by a purple sash. Around her neck was a sort of blackish cover, like it seemed to connect with the things covering her arms. Her hair was about Yoshika's length without the little Fuso Witch's signature perkiness (is that how one would describe it? I never really thought how it'd be described...), and I swore that I could see a bit of brown in her eyes.

Another girl seemed to be a blond-haired (seemed to go down to the small of her back), green-eyed girl wearing something I'd find Erica or Gertrud to be wearing. Hell, maybe even Minna if she looked good in it. She had her hands covered by a pair of brown gloves as they rested on the table. Thankfully, I couldn't see her panties due to the black coat (that's what I was referring to by "something") extending down to about halfway down her thighs, with stockings going down the rest of the way. She wore a pair of...rain boots? I have no idea, but they seemed to have been designed with some high heels in mind.

A third girl was present, seeming like she'd be a part of the Navy back in my world and time, a blue military jacket with white stripes going from her neckline to her shoulders. On the front were nine gold buttons, and the sleeves seemed to have three each near the cuffs, in a column and moving away. Her jacket had red detailing. She seemed to be the most conservative of the group so far, wearing white tights and black boots (they looked less like rain boots, but I don't really know what type they are...) Her blond hair was done in a bun behind her head, so I couldn't tell how long it really was. I could tell you that there was a sort of black ribbon on top of her hair.

The final girl was rather unique in her own right: she wore a blue military jacket with a blue belt wrapped around her waist, tucked in by a strip and with a white buckle. I could see a bit of her white undershirt, and she had a blue tie. There was also a sort of badge above her left breast that seemed to be in the shape of an eagle. She wore brown loafers, and like the second girl her uniform was long enough to cover her panties...though not as much, and I could make out a bit of white. Her eyes were brown as well, but her hair color matched closer to Yoshika's than the other girl.

...I'm going to hate myself later on, but...why is it the more common color I see from these girls has white in it? I swear: white panties, ones with white stripes-

...

Ahem...I think I can see why Shizuka accused me of being a pervert now...permission to go sit in a corner?

"Oh, hello, you five," Minna said as she looked at us.

"Minna?" I asked slowly. "Is there something I'm missing here?" I don't recall a shipment of reinforcements for the team coming in, like, anytime!

"Sorry, I didn't realize that you were going to be coming in this early."

This early... "Minna, you have spatial awareness." She used that shit to come into a conversation once her name's mentioned, for crying out loud! Multiple times! "Couldn't you have used that and saved yourself the surprise?"

"I'd still like to be surprised sometimes. Besides, I wasn't focusing very well before you came in here, so..."

Right, I forget: her magic and my aura sense require some time to focus before it becomes useful.

"Anyways, you mind introducing us to your guests, ma'am?" I tried.

"Yes," Minna replied. "I was going to introduce them after lunch, but since you're here now...these are some of the members of the Five Hundred and Sixth Joint Fighter Wing, also known as the 'Noble Witches'. I'll let them introduce themselves, but..." She looked at our new guests. "...these are Sergeant Shizuka Hattori, Pilot Officer Yoshika Miyafuji, Master-Sergeant Lynette Bishop, Lieutenant Perrine Clostermann, and Captain Roland Sage." She pointed to each of us in that order.

"Hello!" Yoshika said cheerfully.

"Hi," Lynette, Perrine, and Shizuka added.

"Hey there," I simply concluded.

"I am Squadron Leader Rosalie de Hemricourt de Grunne, or Major Grunne if you prefer," the girl with the hair in a bun said. "I lead the Eh-Unit of the Noble Witches and am the leader of the wing overall."

"Hang on," I said quickly. "There's multiple units for your wing?"

"Two, to be precise. It's a long story, but one of us is from the second unit. I'll let her tell you that, though."

"Heinrike Prinzessin zu Sayn-Wittgenstein," the coated one stated next. "Squadron Leader of the Eh-Unit. You're the Neuroi Witch everyone's talking about, right?"

"...Yes?" I asked more than said.

"Interesting. I thought you'd look more intimidating."

I blinked. "Me, intimidating?"

The girl with the covers for her arms and legs took some time to stand up and bow a bit.

"Kuroda Kunika, Flying Officer, sir!" she said. "It's an honor to meet you."

...Um, is her family name Kuroda? I'm so confused. Usually, a Fuso Witch would give her (so far) name in a format like I would see it.

"Jennifer DeBlanc," the final girl said. "Flight Lieutenant. I'm from the Bee-Unit."

...

I looked at the others with me, the only one who seemed to understand exactly what was going on being Perrine.

The Gallian Witch simply gave me a look that seemed to read "I'll explain it later on if Commander Minna doesn't do so or something."

"Anyways, were you planning on making lunch, Miyafuji?" Minna asked.

"Oh, I was considering it and had thought of something just in case I could..." Yoshika said quickly. "But I'm not sure if we have what we need to make it."

"How about some burgers?" I tried.

"Sounds good, I guess...but..."

"Right, we'll have to have Shirley make it somehow. And without a grill that I know of..."

XXXXXXXXXX

About an hour later, we had finished with our lunch and Minna chose to have us all enter the briefing room on the base in order to explain more about why there were four Witches on the base.

"...Can you pass that through me again really quick, commander?" I asked once Minna explained it. I was sitting in the back, between Yoshika and Lynette.

"Our target is the hive in Karlsland," Minna told me, standing in front of a chalkboard in the room. To her left was Rosalie and Heinrike, the latter to the left of the former, and to the commander's right was Kuroda followed by Jennifer. "You recall that much, right?"

"Yeah, but...why are members of the Noble Witches here?" Do we really need some help with this one?

"The brass had come up with a joint operation in order to bolster the morale of all nations," Rosalie added. "The Five-Oh-One is rather famous for two things: its exceptional members and the fact that it was the first joint fighter wing to accept a male Witch. As such, there's a lot riding on this mission."

"So what, we're taking a hive down now?" That sounds like a suicide run, and I know a thing or two about that...

"Not exactly. We're going to make a push against it and hopefully liberate Karlsland, but for now we need some morale. That's where our next operation comes in."

"We're going to be taking on a small Neuroi nest that seemed to have formed over the last week, located near Bastogne," Minna continued (I know I heard that name somewhere, but where?). "The brass wanted to approach it in a similar way that they did with Malta, only different in that we're using four other Witches from a unit that's close by. As it seems to be new, we're hoping that they're lightly-fortified. That should allow us to take it out without any huge fuss."

Draco, seated two rows in front of me and between Charlotte and Francesca, raised his right hand.

"I have a question, ma'am," he said. "Is it going to be that easy? To go in and take it out without much resistance, I mean."

Minna sighed and replied with, "Sadly, it's not going to be as easy as it sounds. The Neuroi are going to be rather tough considering that Roland's still moving, and also due to the amount of time between it forming and us reacting to it it's not going to be easily penetrated with a few Witches alone. Plus, the last few times we've done operations like this, it's ended in some sort of complication. As such, we're going to be doing this at night."

"Squadron Leader Wittgenstein is a Night Witch, and as such she's going to be in charge of the operation," Rosalie added. "Flying Officer Kuroda and Flight Lieutenant DeBlanc are going to join her on the mission. As we're planning this to be a five-Witch mission, that leaves two members from the Strike Witches to go with them."

"Roland, you're one of the two members," Minna announced.

"That's good and all..." I started before the gravity of the situation hit me hard. "W-wait! I'm going? What about the part about the Neuroi being tough because of me?!"

"All the more reason to send you with them. If anything should come up, it'll be your job to handle it. You've gotten more control over Neuroi Mode since Malta, but I still don't want you doing anything rash, so try getting everyone home without injuries, alright?" She looked a little worried.

Given the state I was in the last time I was in a fight... "...Okay...so who's the final member?"

"Major Heidemarie will join you."

I looked at Heidemarie, who was situated about two tables to my right, seated between Eila and a napping Sanya. "Major Heidemarie?" I don't really see an issue with it given I need some time to bond with her. She seemed really...nervous around me. Maybe it's got to do with my age: I mean, she's rather...talkative with Sanya (and me when I'm on night patrol with them), but when it's just the two of us, she rarely speaks to me.

Either that, or she's nervous around boys...

"Alright," I replied as I turned to look at Minna once more. "So we're going with the operation. Any clue how we're going to do this?"

"There's a plan, but Squadron Leader Grunne and I are going to refine it a bit more."

"As such, I will be taking yours and Major Heidemarie's place as the second-in-command," Mio included. "I understand that you two might want to know exactly what the plan entails, but the major has to be ready for night patrol. As for you, Sage...you're better off getting to know your partners for the mission. Besides, we don't need you getting angry about something and affecting your ability to perform at your best."

...I'd argue, but...that seems like a valid reason to get to know my new teammates. Now that I think about it, though...shouldn't Gertrud be involved somehow? I swear, it feels like she should be focused on right now...but...

"I'd like Draco, Miyafuji, and Perrine to help get some targets up for a practice run," Mio added.

"The operation will take place three nights from now," Minna concluded. "This will coincide with Major Heidemarie's first night patrol of the night. Take your rest for the night, but tomorrow get ready to be set on night schedule for a while, Roland. If anyone would like to stay up with them and keep them company at night, please let me know. I will only allow two more to do so, and I am excluding Sanya due to her being needed for night patrol at the moment. Unless there's any outstanding questions, you're all dismissed."

"Yes, ma'am," we all said.

XXXXXXXXXX

"This shouldn't be too much of a problem," I said as I examined the BAR I had grabbed, making sure that it was in working condition. Grabbing two magazines, I looked at my partners, who were examining their own guns to make sure that everything was in order.

"Not sure how you can say that, Captain Sage," Jennifer replied. "We've only heard about what you were able to do. It's a different experience to see them in person."

"Valid point." I strapped the BAR onto my back as I grabbed a Browning HP along with a few clips. "I'm not going to go all-out unless I absolutely have to. I might go into Neuroi Mode, but if you're hoping to see the Second Stage you'll be out of luck."

"It'll be a perfect opportunity to see how you're going to handle this training," Heinrike added. "With monikers like 'Neuroi Witch' and 'Ground Witch', you'd have to be good to show for it."

"I'm just one Witch, sadly, but I'm sure that my Browning Hand Pistol and I can handle ourselves." I suddenly felt four sets of eyes look at me in confusion. "Was it something I said?"

"You do realize that the initials stand for 'High Power', right?" Heinrike asked me.

High...Power...what...? "...They do?"

 _ **Yeah...**_ Lionelis told me. _**You've been pretty much holding this sort of info in you for a while. We even looked at the data and saw that yours was off by a lot.**_

...Shit...why did you let me walk around thinking that?

 _ ***sigh* "Strike Heroes", a review for Chapter 1.**_

"I'm so sorry!" I said quickly as I pointed my pistol at the ground and rested it against my side as I bowed extremely quickly. "I'll take that into account so it doesn't happen again, ma'am!"

"...I only corrected your misinformation," Heinrike told me with a sigh. "Not scolded you for screwing up a mission."

"You five ready?" Minna asked us over our earpieces.

"Oh right!" I replied as I raced over to a corner of the hangar where I had hung my sword and crowbar. Slipping them into their usual spots, I raced back and added, "I'm ready!"

"We're all set, ma'am," Heinrike told Minna.

"Good," Minna replied. "We've got some targets set up in the area. Your training is to work as a unit and take them out as fast as you can. We'll be repeating this three times for now. As a unit, you need to be able to work together and take the enemy down as quickly as you can."

"Yes, commander," Heidemarie replied.

"Count on us!" Kuroda and Jennifer added.

"We'll do our best," I concluded.

"Good," Minna said. "Wittgenstein?"

"Let's start!" Heinrike called out.

I raced over to a Launch Unit and, jumping into the air and doing a one-eighty, activated it, locking it in carefully. I then gave it power as I heard the engine roar to life.

 _ **Do you really need to be in one?**_ Lionelis asked me. _**You've taken off without a Launch Unit before...**_

 _I want it to look like this isn't too special just for a while longer,_ I told the core.

"Captain Sage, you are going to take off with Kuroda and DeBlanc. Heidemarie and I will take off after you."

"Okay," I replied. I'd probably prefer taking Heidemarie into the air with the first batch, but it's Heinrike's choice on the matter...

"Time to go!"

"Yes, ma'am! Kuroda, DeBlanc, let's move out!"

Kuroda and Jennifer each nodded as they entered their Striker Units and powered them on.

I feel really good about this sort of thing!

XXXXXXXXXX

And that...was something...

The training went down without much problems, it wasn't that. But we were...is "raw" a good way to describe it?

Hmm...how to describe it better? We were fine working together...but we weren't...meshing well...

Like someone was trying to use fresh Play-Doh to create something and put it together with some that had been dried-up for a while.

"I think we've got some work to do," Minna said as she and Rosalie stood in front of us. We had gotten out of our Striker Units for the third and final time today, standing in the hangar at attention. "Your teamwork was good, but...it's not something I'd be confident that the enemy wouldn't break."

"Agreed," Rosalie added. "It's a miracle that you were able to help pull off the attack on Malta with little trouble, Captain Sage, but I think you're missing something...human from your movement."

I cocked my head to the left in confusion.

"What do you mean?" I asked her.

"There was an instance where you were going for a target with Kuroda," Rosalie explained. "You two chose to use a back-to-back maneuver to maximize your shoot-down count as well as to avoid being potentially surrounded, but you were a bit too...robotic."

"Robotic?" I'd ask if she knew what the term meant, but...the Warlock's existence kinda destroyed any chances of them "not knowing about them", if it did anything like that.

"You reacted like a soldier, that much is good. But when you made your movements you seemed to have been making them based on a system. A rather rigid system."

...That's kinda true, I guess...I think I accessed Lionelis a bit in order to get some ideas for strategies. "I'm sorry, ma'am. I guess I wasn't quite on my game."

"I know you're good inside what Commander Minna's told me was 'Neuroi Mode', but you might want to consider thinking like a human. Fixing your stance while out of Neuroi Mode will lead into better stances while in that state, so please work on polishing your movements."

"...I see." Maybe that's a problem; I've been trying to use Neuroi Mode recently to finish off battles, and so far since we reformed (I can't count the ambush at the moment) I've gone half-and-half on my success rate (I made Gamma retreat, but got tagged by the second Witch Hunter about a week later). Why?

"You five have some time to relax," Minna told us. "Roland, could you deal with your training drills?"

I was busy going over the training we had finished and seeing where I should clean up my stances when Minna asked her question. "My drills?"

"Yeah. You're training a group of Witches, right?"

"...Oh! _Those_ drills! Yeah! I can handle those, ma'am!" Maybe I can ask Yoshika and the others or even see how they handle this sort of problem.

"Good."

XXXXXXXXXX

 _Kuroda's POV_

Well, this is certainly interesting.

As we've got some time to relax, Squadron Leaders Wittgenstein and Grunne said that Jennifer and I could choose to mingle with the Strike Witches if we so chose to.

And I guessed that there was nothing better than to see how Captain Sage dealt with drills.

"He's just having them run," Jennifer told me as we stood inside the hangar, away from the group of four girls training under the Neuroi Witch's tutelage. I could pinpoint one of the girls as being Miyafuji Yoshika: she was one of the reasons why Operation Mars ultimately became a success.

Speaking of that...I had at first believed that Captain Sage had perished during the operation based on the reports, but wouldn't you believe about three months ago...

That was when Squadron Leader Grunne had called us into the room in Sedan (for Jennifer, she was a part of the B-Unit, so she was stationed in Dijon) to hear someone from St. Trond. It ended up having Captain Sage's voice, who explained that he was still alive.

I guess that at first I wasn't completely sure that he was truly alive: I mean, it was his voice, no doubt, but...I never really heard his voice before, so at the time I thought that he was just an imposter.

Then I came here along with the others...

"I'm sure there's a reason why he's having them do that," I replied as I watched them run down the runway, Captain Sage joining in with them. "He really seems nice. Running with them and all."

"He definitely looks like he is," Jennifer said. "Still hard to believe that he's alive and has that ability."

I wonder how he does it, though? Entering Neuroi Mode must take a lot out of him, so how does he conjure up the energy to do it?

I then watched as Captain Sage looked up and at us, seeming like he was beckoning us the Liberion way.

Why is he wanting us to come over?

Jennifer and I walked over to the beginning of the runway as the group reached the spot and did a one-eighty as they seemed to do another lap or something.

"He's going to ask us to run with them, huh?" Jennifer asked me.

...I guess...I think this might be a good start to learning a little more about him.

XXXXXXXXXX

About ten minutes later, and we were recovering from the running, all of us standing up (Miyafuji said something about sitting down, but Captain Sage warned her against that, so she reconsidered).

"Sorry for dragging you into that about halfway through," the Neuroi Witch told us.

"I'm really glad that you did," I replied cheerfully. "I wanted to get to know you a bit more. Since we're going to be training again before we go on with the mission."

"True. As long as you don't try shooting a partner, I'll be happy."

...Wait, what? "When did something like that happen?"

"Long story. Maybe you can ask the others. Commander Minna, Captain Barkhorn, and Erica are your best bets, if you're still curious."

"I'll keep that in mind. Anyways, what exactly do you do on the base?"

"Huh? Well..." I watched as he blinked and placed his right hand over his chin. "I forget what my official title was, if I ever got a name for it, but I'm essentially a sort of babysitter as well as our team's hidden weapon."

"That sounds really harsh coming from your mouth for some reason..." Clostermann said in a slightly hurt tone.

"Sorry..." Captain Sage chuckled. "Got a little carried away. When I say 'babysitter', I'm more of the one who keeps an eye on everyone else, even Commander Minna and Major Sakamoto. Just making sure even our leaders don't just wallow in doubt or something. Anyways, I guess that since you asked a question I should ask one as well at the moment."

"Sure. What is it?"

"I noticed from your introductions and Major Grunne's statements that you two come from separate halves of the Noble Witches. Why is that?"

"Oh. Well, in a nutshell-"

"One unit consists of aces of nobility while the other is composed of Liberion Witches," Clostermann interrupted.

"Wait a second," Captain Sage stated as he turned to look at the Gallian noble, "how do you know that, Perrine?"

"I did some research into the wing, duh. Besides, I am of nobility as well. Can't believe you've forgotten, my word."

"...Says the girl with the castle in repair and most of her money going into the restoration of Gallia."

"Hey, I wouldn't be talking, Stingy von Nickelson!"

Captain Sage gave off a perplexed look on his face. "...What? 'Stingy von Nickelson'?"

"How many things have you actually bought using your own money?"

"...Not much? Doesn't make me stingy..."

"Um..." I decided to say. "Lady Clostermann, are you...?" She seems to be arguing with him an awful lot...

"Huh?" Clostermann asked as she looked at me in shock. "Oh no! I'm not into him at all! He's already taken!"

"He's taken?" Jennifer asked now. "By who?"

"Commander M-" Miyafuji seemed to start before one of Captain Sage's hands clamped over her mouth tight. "Mmph!"

"I'll reveal things in due time," Captain Sage told us simply. "I want to go through what I want to tell you and things like that. I mean, saying that I'm in a relationship is a bit too much..." He forced a smile on his face, but I chose not to ask about it.

"Mm-mmph!"

"For now, just know that I'm not entirely like how I'm painted in the media. Or the military reports. I'm just a normal human guy who's just so happened to be a Witch with a Neuroi core inside him."

...I wonder who Miyafuji was about to say was his girlfriend? I don't think I know too many commanders with the letter M in their name. Though...

"We'll leave you to finish your drills with them," Jennifer concluded as she turned around. "If you want to chat some more, we're open to it."

"Yeah," I replied. "We'll see you later."

XXXXXXXXXX

 _Roland's POV_

As I watched Kuroda and Jennifer walk away, I took one look at Yoshika, whose mouth I was still covering, and once I deemed them out of earshot I let go of my restraint, letting the little Fuso girl gasp for some air.

"Your nose wasn't covered, Yoshika," Perrine told her.

"Sorry," Yoshika replied as she glared at me with a pouty look on her face. "I just didn't really enjoy the sudden grab. What gives, Roland-kun?"

"I didn't want to risk Kuroda or Jennifer knowing about the fact that Minna and I are in a relationship," I told her.

"Why? You're not exactly doing anything wrong..."

"To you and the others, I'm not. Minna and I are about the same age, and we love each other. Perfect material, right? But remember: we're in the military. Being in a relationship's not exactly the best thing to be in while serving. At least, it's not when both sides are Witches, people who can potentially eat a Neuroi's attack and be sliced in half or something. I don't want to see how Kuroda and Jennifer would take it. Hell, I'm not sure about how Squadron Leaders Grunne or Wittgenstein will handle it unless they've been told it by Minna."

Perrine sighed as she said, "You're an idiot, Roland. You're over-reacting: it's frowned upon for a normal soldier to be in a relationship with a Witch, no matter the rank. You're not exactly a normal soldier to begin with, and you're even a Witch yourself. So just be proud that you can be in a relationship with Minna openly. And of course..."

I sighed. "I know: treat her right, make sure she and I survive until we retire."

"See? All you really need right now."

"Um, Roland?" Lynette asked. "Is there anything else we can do for training?"

"Well..." I thought of what I had left for my list of the day: we did laps just now, so next is... "We'll do some push-ups and sit-ups. Let's go for fifty push-ups, take a rest, and then shoot for a hundred sit-ups."

"Yes, sir/Roland/Roland-kun!" the girls told me, using their particular choices in what to call me.

I sighed as we slipped into push-up position.

Best not to delay our training, huh?

XXXXXXXXXX

Later on, closing in on night, I was sitting in the dining hall with Sanya and Eila, the latter having decided to escort the Orussian Witch on her patrol.

"Are you feeling alright?" Eila asked me suddenly.

"Hmm?" I replied.

"You're holding your glass of orange juice rather tightly."

"I am?" I looked in my right hand, which had a glass of orange juice in its grasp. A little too tightly. "I guess I am." I loosened up a bit.

"You okay, Roland? You're not...nervous about a mission, are you?"

"Not really...but...I wanted to get to know the others. I've already chatted with Kuroda and DeBlanc a bit, but I haven't had time to talk to either of the squadron leaders."

"You could just ask me to call Wittgenstein over, Roland-kun," Sanya told me. "We do use a sort of communication thing between Night Witches. I'm not sure if she'll respond, but at best I can ask Major Heidemarie if she's available."

"If you wanna try, be my guest, Sanya, but I think I can track them down myself. Thanks for offering, though."

"You're welcome." Sanya activated her magic antennae and closed her eyes as she focused on a response. "Hmm...I asked Wittgenstein about talking to you, but I can't seem to pick her up right now. Major Heidemarie, however, is coming towards the dining hall right now. Something about not feeling too tired right now." Sanya then stood up followed by Eila. "I'll chat with you tomorrow night some more since you'll be focusing on night training, Roland-kun."

"Don't do anything stupid," Eila reminded me as they left me in the area.

"I won't," I told her as I drank my beverage and stood up. Heading into the kitchen to rinse the drink from my glass, I placed it aside and went back into the dining hall in time to find Heidemarie standing there, wearing her usual sleepwear.

"Um..." the major started timidly. "You wanted to talk to me, Roland?"

"Yeah, a little. I mean, we've never really got time to sit down and actually talk about some things, and I'm a little concerned about how you see me..."

Heidemarie gasped lightly as she shook her head quickly. "I don't see you as being terrible, captain...but...you're..." She then blushed a bit.

"I'm a guy?"

"...You're older than me."

I blinked. "I'm...older?" I know this isn't really a reliable way of telling age, but if I looked at her body alone I'd say she was eighteen or so.

"I'm only sixteen, Roland...you're...well..."

"Nineteen. So?" I've become friends with pretty much everyone on the Strike Witches, and the youngest of them is about thirteen now. What's stopping her from doing the same?

"Well...um..."

I sighed. Might as well ask her a question and see if I can get her to relax. "Anyways, I guess I should ask a question I've had to get you comfortable: where were you born?"

"Oh...I was born in Calw."

"Calw?" I said that with the best pronunciation I could muster. "Where's that?"

"It's in southern Karlsland, not far from Gallia's border."

"I see. Anything from your childhood you want to share?"

"My parents were in the wine business, and I used our wine cellar as a personal playground when I was bored."

I blinked. "A wine cellar? Why were you spending your time down there?"

"Because...well..." She stopped.

I blinked again. Why did she go silent? "Major?"

"Because...I..." Heidemarie gave off a bigger blush on her face as she turned around and ran out of the dining hall.

"Ma'am, wait!" I shouted as I raced to the doorway, my right hand reaching out as if to try stopping her.

I then felt it grab something soft, and once I tore my focus away from stopping Heidemarie and looked at what I had grabbed, I realized that I had accidentally gripped one of Heinrike's breasts.

...Oh come on! I'm one of the two tallest Strike Witches on the base! How the hell can I not bring my hands higher than my shoulders?

"I'm so sorry, ma'am!" I said quickly as I jerked my hand away.

XXXXXXXXXX

 _ **Ding!**_

...Thanks for the sound effect of the aftermath of me being pummeled into submission by Heinrike, Lio. Real helpful...

 _ **I'm just happy I can add another one to the Grope Tally,**_ Lionelis told me.

 _...Grope Tally?_ I asked. _I don't want to know. Also...really: a Grope Tally?_

"So putting aside your little...incident, captain," Heinrike told me as I was seated in a chair in the dining hall, dazed from the beating, "I heard from Lieutenant Litvyak that you wanted to chat with me. So?"

"I think I can see the answer to life, the universe, and everything...and all is it is the number forty-two..." I said in my daze. Hey, just because my narration was spot-on didn't mean that my speech was!

"Is that supposed to be a joke, captain?"

I snapped out of my daze and blinked rapidly. "Oh, Squadron Leader Wittgenstein! Howdy!"

"...You sure are a strange person, I'll give Commander Minna that." Heinrike then sighed. "So what did you want to talk about?"

"Huh?" I thought about Heidemarie. "Um...well...Heidemarie..."

Heinrike then took a seat across from me. "Ah. I understand perfectly: you asked her about her childhood, right?"

How did she know what I asked? "Somewhat. I asked her about where she was born, and she said something about a wine cellar she played in when she was bored..."

"And that's when you saw her run off and...ran into me, right?"

"Yeah, pretty much." Now that I think about it...smooth move there, Roland. Now she probably thinks you're a pervert...

"I see. She's a Night Witch, like Lieutenant Litvyak and I are, but she's got a rare trait: in addition to the magic antennae, she's got a night vision ability allowing her to see in the dark using the stars as her light. But...she didn't have control of her magic very well when she was younger."

She didn't have control of it very well? "So when she went out in the sun, it...?"

"Pretty much. She learned how to control it eventually when she was taught how to after being matriculated, but the damage was done: her optic nerve couldn't be repaired by even magical means, and so she's been reduced to wearing glasses with a very strong prescription."

"Oh. That's...pretty sad..."

"She's pretty much sensitive and introverted due to her childhood, as she never played with any of her friends, of which she had none her age, or learned how to cut loose. She's a good girl, though, and she really wants to have friends of the same age. Sanya and I are her friends, though...I don't really show it."

"Why?"

"Well, I can't explain it well to you, but I do think of her as a true friend."

"...And you're telling me all of this why?"

"You're with Heidemarie while you're here, so it's only fair that you know something about her history. Also, you're the one who asked."

"Right...anyways, what about you then?"

"I am a Karlsland Witch with an Orussian aristocratic lineage in my blood. Some of my family have a very deep connection with the royal family of Baltland, but it's a distinguished clan with a lot of influence across various parts of Europe."

...So she's a noble? Like Perrine? "Erm...should I call you 'milady', then, ma'am?"

"If you desire, captain. I don't really need you to refer to me as nobility seeing as we have the same goal right now."

"Oh...okay..." So far on my list of nobilities: Perrine, Maria, and now Heinrike. Though I should add Rosalie and Kuroda on there as well. "I'd hate to ask, but...what do you know about the Noble Witches?"

"We're two units, one consisting of nobility. The other is filled with Witches from Liberion."

"Ah. Why are there two different units if you're all part of one wing?"

"We were established during Gallia's reconstruction. You know, amidst the chaos and political turmoil."

"Oh. Political shitstorm?"

"You could think of it that way if it helps, but we weren't formed with just military aspects in mind. Many countries that offered aid to Gallia had clout in how we were made. Hence, the division. We were originally going to be led by a noble Witch from Gallia, but she declined the position."

"Oh..." Hang on, Perrine said that she had researched the wing. She's of the noble class in Gallia (not much nowadays, but still one nonetheless)... "Who was supposed to be the commanding Witch?"

"Lieutenant Perrine Clostermann."

... _WHAT?!_ I was shocked beyond belief. "H-hang on! We're not talking about a Gallian Witch who's wandering around the base right now, friends with Yoshika and Lynne, are we?!"

"That'd be her."

"Why did she decline? That's a huge honor, isn't it? I mean, I'm not in Commander Minna's position, but still...that was great news!"

"She said she wanted to focus on the reconstruction of Gallia, so she declined. She was also planned to have received a promotion to Flight Lieutenant if she had accepted."

She would have been the same rank level as me... "Oh...wow...I didn't really think she had something to do with your unit...man..."

"Anyways, you best get some sleep. We've got some night training to take care of for the mission, so get as much sleep as you can."

Oh, right! The mission! "Yes, ma'am!" I got up and started to walk out of the dining hall before Heinrike cleared her throat.

"Oh, and don't worry too much about the major. She'll warm up to you eventually. Just work on surviving this mission...Neuroi Witch." I swore she had a faint smile.

"Yes ma'am."

XXXXXXXXXX

 _Heidemarie's POV_

I laid down in my bed quickly once I had ran away from Captain Sage, believing that he had stopped trying to find me.

I didn't want to run from him like that...but I wasn't comfortable with telling him more about me yet...

I mean...he seems like a nice guy, he cares about his teammates, and he acts like he's a normal person...but...

I shook my head as I laid on my back, pulling my blanket over my head as I scooted in to get comfortable.

Closing my eyes, I barely laid like that for about ten minutes before I felt the blanket get removed from over my head as a male voice whispered, "Hey, Heidemarie?"

"Hmm?" I asked quietly as I opened my eyes and looked at the person talking to me, Captain Sage. I gave off a quick squeak. "Roland!" I covered my head with the blanket once more, trying to hide. I didn't want him to see me like this right now!

"Look...I heard about your childhood from Wittgenstein, but...well...I would like for you to tell me it yourself."

"What?" I timidly moved the blanket from my face so that my eyes were able to look at him. "She told you?"

"She seemed to know more about it than I did, but I only asked her out of curiosity. I can't do anything to correct your past, but...I'd like to help you in the present and future. If you'll let me."

"Well..."

Captain Sage gave off a soft fuzzy smile, something I could see as I let my night vision activate for a bit. "Do whatever makes you comfortable, but like I said I want to hear it from your mouth. And Heidemarie? I'm sure you can make friends here on the base. You've got a few others around your age. Definitely try talking to Yoshika sometime: you'll find that she's an interesting girl sometimes." I then turned off my night vision as I watched him walk over to Commander Minna's bed and start undoing his belt.

I covered my head back up and closed my eyes as I got comfortable again.

I don't know: I've always wanted friends my age, but...since I'm a Night Witch, it's hard to be friends with anyone outside of other Night Witches.

But...I'll try...

XXXXXXXXXX

 _Roland's POV_

The next morning, after breakfast...

"This is what you went through the first time you had night patrol?" Kuroda asked me as she, Jennifer, Heinrike, Heidemarie, and I were inside Sanya's and Eila's room (since it was one of only two rooms equipped with curtains at the moment. While we could have used mine, Heidemarie's, and Minna's room, the Orussian Witch and her Suomos teammate were busy sleeping in here, so...apparently why not?).

"Pretty much," I told her quietly so as not to wake up our sleeping comrades.

"It's really dark in here," Jennifer added.

"It's how Sanya likes it. Never really learned why, but I think it just makes her comfortable."

I watched Kuroda as she sat on the edge of Sanya's bed and sighed. "So what do we do, sir?"

"We can head back to sleep...or we can chat for a bit." I looked at Heidemarie. "If everyone's comfortable with chatting."

"We can chat for a bit, captain," Heinrike replied. "So what did you want to talk about?"

 _ **You sure you wanna be chatting with them?**_ Lionelis asked me. _**We** **mean, we could always see if we have...**_

 _Thanks, Lio,_ I replied mentally. _But I've done fine on my own for gathering information. Besides, I'd much rather reduce the risk of them getting suspicious about my source than use you to learn what I want or need._

"I'm curious about some of your history," I replied.

"Well, I was born in a branch family of a former daimyo house," Kuroda explained. "My first battle was near the end of the Fuso Sea Incident."

... "Fuso Sea Incident?"

"How do you not know about the Fuso Sea Incident, captain? It was one of the starting points for the current war as well as when the first Striker Units designed by Doctor Miyafuji began their services."

"...Would 'being under a rock until I signed up for the military' work as a reason?"

"Hmm?" Jennifer asked. "How does that even...?"

I sighed. "Fine, assume that history's not my strongest subject." It's somewhat true given I'm not sure about a lot of the differences between my world in this time period and this world...barring the whole "Neuroi attacking humanity", "Striker Units", and "Witches" bits.

"Alright."

"Anyways..." Kuroda continued. "Where was I?"

"Something about the Fuso Sea Incident," I reminded her.

"Oh. Right. I shot down three Neuroi units during that time while injured. However, I had to leave the front lines for a while until my injury healed. I matriculated into a military academy and was reinstated in my home unit, the Thirty-Third Fighter Squadron, while I was appointed as a Pilot Officer. Our unit was sent on a fleet escort mission in the Red Sea district as soon as the war in Europe began."

"Ah."

"What was your home unit, captain? I'm really curious about it."

"Huh? My...home unit?"

"You had to have a home unit you were with when you matriculated into the Witch Corps, right?" Heinrike asked me. "So what was it?"

"Erm...I don't really know how to say it, but...I..." I lowered my voice a little. "I never really matriculated properly..."

"Sorry, captain, but we didn't catch that."

"I...never really went through matriculation..." I still said that in a quiet voice, like I was embarrassed about it. If it's common for a Witch to matriculate (is that like graduation or something? I need to ask Mio or Yoshika about it; it sounds like it's something they would know) after a while, then was I a special case?

"Still can't hear you, Sage."

"I said I never properly matriculated!" I forced that statement out before I froze in fear and threw my sights on Sanya and Eila, the latter starting to stir.

"Shut up over there..." the Suomos Witch told me sleepily. "Idiot...you're too loud..."

I mentally sighed in relief. At least she didn't wake up and pummel me or...I guess, throw a pillow at me. "Anyways, I never properly matriculated because I was trained a bit differently. I was in the army at first until I got my magic. Commander Hannah Ellios chose to train me once the brass was aware of my potential, Captain Nova, who was a lieutenant at the time, and herself being my trainers. When the _Ascension_ incident occurred, I watched her die, and a week later, by the time Commander Minna recruited me for what would become my legacy, I guess, I had finished my training time and received the rank of lieutenant due to my actions. I never really realized that there was a method to it. Hell, I never thought I had to be matriculated into a unit. So I guess for a response you could claim that my home unit's with Commander Ellios and Captain Nova."

"So you're..." Heinrike started before she got a strange twinkle in her eyes.

"Um...ma'am?"

"You're an unusual exception? That sounds nice."

...What? "I'm...unusual?" I can see that: I am pretty much what that core considered a "human Neuroi".

"Yeah."

I laid down on my back and closed my eyes. "Well, I'm going to get some sleep and see about getting ready for night training. I'd recommend you two do the same, flying officer and flight lieutenant. It's not as easy on your sleep cycle as you might think at first."

XXXXXXXXXX

At around noon, I woke up from my nap and looked around the darkened room, trying to see how everyone was doing. It seemed like Eila and Sanya were busy stirring and...

Gah! Turning around now!

I hastily (and quietly) turned my back to them as I realized that they were getting dressed for the moment.

Best hope that Eila didn't notice or something...I mean, not to say that it was bad...bad thoughts! They're both under eighteen, idiot! Plus, they're your teammates and you're already going out with Minna!

Besides, I'd rather leave that level of perversion with Lionelis...

 _ **Hey!**_ said core snapped, angry (for being a voice in my head). _**We only thought that once! Besides, you're one to talk: you've walked in on Yoshika, Lynne, Perrine, Eila, and Lucchini getting dressed back in Romagna!**_

That was a bloody accident and...oh... " _Touché..._ "

I think I heard Sanya give off a quick breath as she seemed to pause. I then heard some footsteps before I felt something hit me in the back of the head, rendering me unconscious.

XXXXXXXXXX

Coming to, I noticed that I had been moved into the briefing room for some reason.

Come to think of it, why did I get knocked unconscious? I mean, I think I had asked for it, but...wasn't that a bit...extreme?

Well, I can definitely say that the back of my head is aching. God, does it hurt...

"Awake, are we?" Eila asked me as her face entered my vision. "That's nice to know. I thought hitting you that hard would have knocked you out for longer."

So...I guess Eila was the one who hit me...

"You didn't even need to hit me that hard...or even at all, really..." I groaned. I then raised my head and looked at her closely as she straightened herself. "How did you realize I was awake?"

"Apart from Sanya acting a little weird? I kinda predicted it; when Sanya and I woke up and saw you five in there with us, I decided to do a quick guess on who would wake up first. Also, you kinda gave yourself away by speaking."

...I did?

 _ **You kinda did, Roland,**_ Lionelis told me. _**We even looked at the narration, and those are quotation marks over your word before unconsciousness.**_

"Eila?" Sanya asked the Suomos Witch as she walked next to her left side. "Did you hear that now?" Her green magic antennae were active.

...Huh?

"San?" I tried. "Are you feeling alright?"

"Maybe..." Sanya told me. "I keep hearing this voice for some reason when I use my antennae, but I can't pinpoint exactly where I keep hearing it from. It's like it's somewhere I should know about...somewhere close by..."

Voice, huh? "What's the first thing you heard this voice say?"

"I can't remember...but it was from when we first started with the three-Witch night patrol night."

Still doesn't help me out, but...hold on...the first time we went as a trio for patrol? That was about...two weeks ago? I need to look into my memories a bit...

Let's see...there was me chatting with Lionelis when Charlotte was looking at the newly-upgraded Striker Unit the core had created, our first night patrol where Lionelis...

Where Lionelis...

...

...Don't panic, Roland...

"Sanya?" I said very slowly. "What was the last thing you heard from this voice?"

"Erm...something about quotation marks in a narration," Sanya replied as she looked at me. "Why?"

...Don't panic...Don't panic...Don't panic...

I really wished that there was a _Hitchhiker's Guide To the Galaxy_ book for dimensional travelers...or at least one that has information on strange phenomena for people to look up and see how to go about explaining them...

 _Lio?_ I asked the core mentally. _Wait for my cue..._

"This is going to be a stupid question, but...can you ask me a question?" I said to the Orussian Witch.

"What kind of question?" Sanya asked in return.

"Doesn't matter...but try to make it one I have no idea about. Or should have no idea about."

"Okay...how do you spell my true first name?"

In the interest of saving my sanity, I'll just summarize my answer by saying this: I had no idea what it was..

 _ **You really don't know how to spell it, or did you forget?**_ Lionelis said quickly. _**It's Aleksandra, spelled A-L-E-K-S-A-N-D-R-A.**_

Sanya's attention then focused on me as she leaned in to take what I could only call "a closer look" at my face.

"I think it's coming from your area, Roland-kun," Sanya said with a neutral tone. For some reason, she looked a bit...annoyed?

Dunno, but I think I'd be annoyed too if something was distracting me like that. Also...Lio?

 _ **Holy crap...**_ the core said quickly. _**She can hear us...um...*bark*?**_

 _...I don't think she's going to fall for that,_ I replied quickly as I noted Sanya's lack of facial change.

 _ **Damn...we didn't take into account being heard by someone other than you or other Neuroi forces...**_

 _Just say hi...Sanya won't hurt you. Eila might, but not Sanya...unless she's armed with that Fliegerhammer of hers, then be afraid. Be very afraid._

 ** _If you say so...erm...hi?_**

"Hello," Sanya said as she gave off a sigh of relief. "Based on where I found you, I can guess that you're connected to Roland-kun somehow?"

 _ **...Yes? Sorry, but we never took into account being overheard by...well, you of all people...**_

"So what is it, San?" Eila asked her Orussian teammate.

I chose to answer for Sanya.

"The voice she's tracking..." I began, "...is Lionelis, the core inside me."

 **XXXXXXXXXX**

 **And that's the end of this chapter at the moment.**

 **Man, where do I even begin...?**

 **Well, for starters, I want to once again apologize profusely for the lack of updates here. I think six weeks is probably the longest I've gone without any updates for any of my stories (I don't count the waits between the main series' entries because it takes a while to get them ready and going), and I do want to express my sincerest gratitude for waiting (if you were actually waiting. I can't be certain, sadly...). So to make up for the lack of updates, I'm going to be saying a few things here and revealing some things.**

 **First, let's deal with the scheduling aspect. At the moment, the only story that's going to be an irregularly-scheduled one is Project GS due to taking me some time to get a good entry for it (and by that I mean getting an idea for an entry, writing it, getting it checked, and checking it myself for mistakes). Oh, and Project FILA, but only because I need to get going on finishing the next entry for it (I wonder if the third one came out by now?). I have a two-part memory for Project Himebana that will be released the same day as this chapter, so expect that soon.**

 **Also, the poll is still open (only because I haven't gotten close to getting started on publishing the final third of Project Himebana yet), but so far I have gotten a few chapters done for Project HD RPG and am currently considering finding a second beta reader to check the story for me. I trust my current one really well (he's been super helpful since he started helping me in that role, and I think the previous entry of Roland's story wouldn't have been as good without his help and support** **) but I also know that with Project HD RPG being a crossover between** _Hyperdimension Neptunia_ **and** _Strike Witches_ **(check my details about it last chapter or my profile page for more info) I could benefit from having an extra hand for the HDN side of things. Or, you know, making sure the story makes sense. Either way works. I will make the call at a later date if I go through with the idea, but for now...**

 **Anyways, I did say that I'd reveal some things, so here goes: Projects HD RPG and Draco are both started, though I have to cover a lot of ground for the latter. Himebana will cover a memory from the Himeroku CD, what I'm calling "Memories of a Ceremonious Aftermath" (you will also get a special treat at the end of the second part), and Project GS will be featuring** _Hyperdimension Neptunia Re;Birth 1_ **along with a particular franchise for Halloween and** _Strike Heroes_ **(which has a Part 1 currently but may be held off from being shown until I start Project LIO)** **. On the Project GS end, you're most likely going to see the Halloween-time one first.**

 **Now, let's see, anything else?**

 _ **Well, you can cut it out with the damned parentheses, for starters. You're getting too trigger-happy with those things!**_

 **...Sorry...**

 **Anyways, please read and respond and let me know what you thought of this chapter, especially how I captured the Noble Witches featured here so far for the story. Next time will be, of course, the conclusion as well as more coverage of them.**

 **Thanks for reading and sticking around during my hiatus, and I will see you either in the next chapter or the memories in Project Himebana.**


	6. Operation Noble Sage (Part 2)

Hello, and welcome to the long-awaited finale for the current arc.

 _ **Now complete with complimentary pitchforks and torches!**_

...

 _ **What? We'd think you would have a mob by now.**_

...I don't think that's how mobs work, Lio...also, do we really need another fire around my record-keeping area?

Now, in case you're wondering why I currently don't have bold words right now, well...I had a story-related injury and for some reason I lost the ability to use bold for a while.

 _ **Translated, he got beat up by a girl.**_

Shut up, Lio! Besides, she was a goddess. Literally: she was a CPU. If you're wondering about it or are curious to see the project I am currently working on, I direct you to the trailers under _Witches of Gamindustri: Dawn of Witches_.

Anyways, let's get going on the reviews (with respect to my current author-based disability):

 _Gamerman22_ : Yeah, it was an idea someone suggested to be in a review back in...I want to say it was either _Wings of Freedom_ or _Roland's Return_. Let me check really quick...actually, you were the one who mentioned it back then in _WoF_ , so thanks for the idea. As for Heidemarie, she doesn't strike me as being like Sanya as far as making friends goes: though the Orussian Witch is shy as well, she seems like she can make a friend easier than Heidemarie because I think she doesn't really limit herself to around her age as easily as the Karlsland major. Plus, Heidemarie's backstory on the wiki page...*clears throat* Alright, I don't want to delve into sad territory (unless you want to consider how long it took to actually get this chapter) right now, so I'll move on for now. Anyways, thanks for the review as well as the understanding. Now, to get a schedule done for spring to make it easier on myself...

 _Redcollector (Guest)_ : Thanks for the review.

 _NCWriting_ : No problem. Once I get back into the groove for this (have to look back on my planner for this), the updates should be back to the normal two-week timeline I decided on...or as close to it as my classes will allow it.

 _kh2996_ : That could go any different directions, but at the very least Sanya can have someone else to talk with on the base. Plus, it'd probably be good to see about getting some insight into what being a core fused with Roland is like.

 _19 Infidels_ : ...Actually, I think the Neuroi idea you suggested could actually work for the next arc. Thanks for the suggestion as well as the review.

...And there goes the responses.

Alright, I hope you guys are going to be fine with this style of talking here until I can figure out how to fix it.

 _ **Well, we can get someone to beat it back into you...**_

Let's not, please. Blanc's already enough...though if you could...maybe Gertrud could help out...once I figure out how to even get her here.

 _ **...You don't know how?**_

No. The CPUs just appeared in the author notes. Double for Neptune. Speaking of, I wonder if she found what she was looking for around here...

 **XXXXXXXXXX**

 **Chapter 6: Operation Noble Sage (Part 2)**

"That voice is...a Neuroi's?" Sanya asked me as she and Eila looked at me, the Suomos Witch in a disbelieving way while her Orussian partner looked more...intrigued?

"I can't really explain it very well given it's a voice in my head," I tried explaining to them, "but for simplicity's sake...yes, yes it is."

There was a few seconds of tense silence as the revelation got processed through their heads. After that time was spent, the first one to speak was Eila.

"So you have a core who talks to you..." the Suomos Witch noted.

"That sounds interesting," Sanya added quickly.

This surprised Eila. "Sanya! Why are you reacting like that?"

"Yeah, San," I tried myself. "Why are you interested in it? I mean, it's a Neuroi core, so..."

"Well," Sanya told us, "if it's the core inside you, then I have nothing to fear, right? You have control over it, so unless you get angry or use its power at the moment I shouldn't get hurt, right?"

...I don't think having a core's mental representation of a vocal chord talking to you is all it's cracked up to be, Sanya... "But..."

"Plus, it's with you. That must make it have some good in it, right?"

...Um... "So...do you want to...talk to him?" Sanya nodded her head, which made me sigh. "Alright."

"Hang on!" Eila interrupted. "I want to talk to it too!"

"Shouldn't it be more like you want to monitor the conversation?" I tried.

"S-shut up!" Eila blushed.

I sighed again. "I'll talk to Lio about it..."

 _ **You know we can hear everything you can, right?**_ Lionelis told me. _**We would be honored to talk to Miss Litvyak and Miss Juutilainen, if only to get someone else to talk to.**_

 _Really encouraging..._ I only replied mentally.

 _ **Anyways, Miss Litvyak?**_

"What is it...Mister Lionelis?" Sanya asked in a curious tone, trying to figure out how to address the core's chosen voice.

 _ **If Miss Juutilainen indeed wants to chat with us or, at the very least, hear it, then can you transmit it to her earpiece?**_

"It's possible. Major Heidemarie said she did it back during the ambush at Saint-Hubert when she had to pick Sergeant Hattori's signal a while after Yoshika and Roland-kun were injured, but that was to get a scrambled signal through to Commander Minna once she got a clear signal."

 _ **We see...that's a time period we feel we should apologize for...but no matter. Have her get it if she doesn't already have one.**_

"Okay."

XXXXXXXXXX

 _Sanya's POV_

It took some time after telling Eila to go get us some radio earpieces if she wanted to hear Lionelis, but we were back in the briefing room, the two of us seated in front of Roland as he had his head resting on the table.

"So how is he going to communicate with us?" Eila asked.

"From what I gathered, he's going to have Sanya transmit the signal to you," Roland only offered as an answer. "I have no idea myself how it works..."

 _ **We're converting the thoughts in our native language into a language that Miss Litvyak can transmit, a language you can hear as well. As the two common languages are Japanese and English in this case, and seeing as you'd probably rather not try putting Japanese into your narration using kanji, we're going to be using English.**_

He looked at me really quick. "In case you ask, those are the languages of Fuso and-"

"I know," I replied. Those must be the language of the anime and his own language. "Alright..." I called out my magic antennae and felt them turn red. I focused on getting a signal to Eila's earpiece. "Try talking, Mister Lionelis."

" _ **Testirovaniye, odin , dva , tri...**_ " A new voice said. " _ **Ty slyshish menya?**_ "

" _Ya slyshu tebya, no ty govorish' na moyem yazyke,_ " I told the core. " _Vy mozhete poprobovat' yeshche raz?_ "

 _ **Okay, so I can speak Orussian...** _ Lionelis told me and Roland. _**Ahem...**_ " ** _Entä nyt?_** "

I blinked and looked at Eila. "You're getting this, right?"

"Yeah," Eila replied as she blinked. "That was Orussian earlier, right?" I nodded in agreement. " _Ei aivan_ , though I am impressed that you can speak Orussian and Suomos."

 _ **Try this one more time...**_ Lionelis said. " ** _Hola...Hello...ah, there we go! Hello, how are you, Misses Litvyak and Juutilainen?_** "

"Now we can hear you. Anyways, hey there."

"Hello, Mister Lionelis," I greeted.

" _ **Good. Connections are a go. So...what do you want to talk about?**_ "

XXXXXXXXXX

 _Roland's POV_

 _ **Dear Letter/Minna,**_

 _ **I'm not sure who (or what) to be addressing these letters to. On the one hand, I have Minna to choose because we're together, but I've gotten very used to using "Letter". Though maybe I should write a letter for our child.**_

 _ **You know, something along the lines of "Hi, I'm your father, and what you're about to read may or may not embarrass you". Or something: I've got a while to figure it out.**_

 _ **Anyways, you're probably wondering about what I've been doing for the last day or so.**_

 _ **Well, the talk Lionelis had with Sanya and Eila went rather...well. They were at least patient and chatted about things, like the first time we spoke to each other and a bit about himself (he ended up telling them that he had no idea about his life before becoming fused with me). I just chose to get some more sleep while they talked.**_

 _ **Hmm...anything else?**_

 _ **Maybe...we do have five extra Witches on the base at the moment, for some mission Heidemarie and I were chosen to take part in.**_

 _ **Kuroda seemed rather nice. For being a part of a group of nobles, she isn't all too...haughty? Proud? Dunno, but she's definitely not what I had expected at all.**_

 _ **Jennifer seemed a bit interested in chatting with me about her Hispanian heritage, something I found a bit intriguing to talk about. Course, she did take a quick look at me and asked me if I thought that she should have been part of the A-Unit. I shook my head violently before she added that, though she enjoyed talking about her heritage and was proud of it, she still considered herself Liberion and as such chose to be with the Liberion Witches in B-Unit.**_

 _ **Heinrike...actually, I haven't seen much of her the next day. Well, after training at night, I mean (I mean, training went rather fine...if we were to try getting ourselves killed. Well, myself killed). She was a bit nice and told me about some of Heidemarie's history, but apart from that that was it so far.**_

 _ **Rosalie's about the same, I guess, only I haven't really spoken to her one-on-one yet.**_

 _ **Well...is there anything else I should address?**_

XXXXXXXXXX

"Sage, you need to focus on keeping Kuroda and DeBlanc safe."

"Trying, ma'am! Kuroda, keep dodging! DeBlanc, cover Kuroda!"

I raised a shield quickly and felt a few paint rounds slam into it, but when I put it down I received a load of paint rounds to my chest.

Heinrike simply sighed as she gave a signal to stop shooting and flew over to me as I was trying to rub the paint off my shirt, to little success.

"I do have to give you props for giving the orders for DeBlanc to cover Kuroda," she told me, "but leaving yourself open to attack is not a wise thing to do, captain."

"Understood, ma'am," I replied. "But..." I was uncertain: on the one hand, I wanted to protect Kuroda and DeBlanc (even if it was a simple training exercise), but I was also forced to consider my own safety. Fighting the Neuroi normally is one thing; taking on Witches or even a Witch Hunter required more than simply throwing one's life away. But where's the balance?

"Don't argue right now, Sage. Once we take off to engage the hive tomorrow night, we can't afford to simply slack off. We've got to make sure we all make it back."

I opened my mouth but chose not to say anything. Instead, I nodded my head and looked at Kuroda and Jennifer.

"Alright," Heinrike added as she turned to focus on giving her teammates pointers. "Now, as for what I noticed during the training..."

I tuned her out for the moment and floated away a bit, rubbing the paint that was beginning to dry.

"You alright, captain?" Heidemarie asked as she came over to chat with me.

"I'm fine," I lied. "Just thinking, that's all."

"Okay." She...smiled a bit? "It's okay if you choose not to tell me. Just...don't worry too much about it."

"Ma'am?"

Heidemarie floated off as she got into position to try the exercise again.

I flew over to Kuroda and Jennifer and said, "Alright, we now know that I can't just separate you guys away from me, so...ideas?"

"You could have us come back to you if you send one of us to cover the other," Jennifer offered. "Also, keep your shield up until you're sure you can't be shot at."

Right, forgot that tidbit... "Okay...evasive maneuver and all that jazz, huh?"

Kuroda looked at me strangely as she asked, "Is that a saying Liberion Witches use?"

"Not really. At least, I don't think so."

"Oh."

"Ready?" Heinrike asked us through the radio. "Same thing as before: Major Schnaufer and I will act a bit like the Witch Hunters encountered so far and try attacking you. You three try hitting us without being hit yourselves."

"Sounds easy," I said, trying to sound cheerfully.

"You said that about ten times so far, captain."

Wait...she was keeping count? "Oh."

XXXXXXXXXX

 _ **...Yeah, training last night wasn't much in the improvements department. I was at least able to avoid getting shot after a while, but...it's not really good when your partners get "eliminated" and you're left with two Night Witches. Who have been doing this sort of thing way longer than I have.**_

 _ **Well, it's the day of the mission now, so all I have to do is wait for nighttime and then go off and fight. With the others, mind you; I'm not taking on an entire Neuroi hive by myself.**_

 _ **Anyways, better get going: the others are sleeping yet I don't really feel tired (no idea why. Really), even after taking a quick thirty-minute snooze. So I'm heading to the kitchen to get something to eat. Missing breakfast and lunch while awake isn't really a good thing.**_

 _ **Sincerely,**_ **Roland Sage**

XXXXXXXXXX

I walked down the hallway, being aware of anyone who was in the hallway. The others (and Sanya and Eila) were busy sleeping in the last two's room, so I was able to focus without waking them up.

The only problem was that I had no idea what to do. I've taken a thirty-minute nap, but...

Anyways, I walked until I passed the dining hall, which didn't really seem to have anyone in there. Or should that be "mess hall"?

Maybe I can get something to eat...

"Afternoon, captain."

"Huh?" I asked as I turned around and looked at Rosalie, who was standing there. She was carrying a clipboard with something on it. I then noticed that Sullivan, the unit's resident Rottweiler (well, I technically own him but part of the agreement back in Romagna was that the others would help out) was sitting next to her, looking a little content. "Major Grunne?"

"I didn't really think I'd see you out right now. Anyways, I was wondering about why a dog was on the base. I asked Commander Wilcke about it and she asked me to pose the question to you."

"...He's mine?" I made it sound more like a question than a legitimate answer.

"Really?" She then looked at the Rottweiler, who came over to sit down to my left. "Where did you pick him up?"

It took a few seconds, but I explained in a quick summary how I met Sullivan and the fact that he was a gift from the shopkeeper. I also threw in his nickname just in case, as given by myself and Maria (I attached her title due to speaking to Rosalie about her).

"I see," Rosalie replied. "I'd probably not consider housing a dog on the base, but given how much you mean to these girls and probably vice-versa I won't fault you."

"Ah," I simply said as I reached down and scratched Sullivan behind his left ear.

"Speaking of...would you like to chat?"

"Oh, erm..." I thought about it. Should I? I mean, I don't really know much about her, and I do want to know a little about any new Witches...

"Major Wittgenstein mentioned something about you asking her some questions, so I figured that you could do the same to me."

"...Wittgenstein, ma'am?"

"Yeah." She walked over to the table and set the clipboard down. Heading over to it, I saw that it was holding a paper describing my profile to her. "I asked Commander Minna if I could take a look at your stuff. You do seem like an interesting man, I'll give you that. But I also know that you've still got some...issues, so I want to make this informal. Just two people getting to know each other."

"Informal? What for?"

"Well, for starters nearly throttling Captain Marseille to death in rage and then almost immediately striking at your commanding officer, both done when you were a lieutenant, would normally be cause for serious discipline...but I'm not here about that. If I limit any possible way to make you uncomfortable, then it'll be better. So...want to?"

I'm not that bad...am I? I nodded my head. "Yeah."

XXXXXXXXXX

 _Heidemarie's POV_

I quietly poked my head out of the doorway and peered down the hall.

I had woken up to head to the bathroom and had noticed that Captain Sage was no longer in the room. I was somehow curious about where he had went, and so I had elected to check after going to the bathroom.

Which is where I was at currently.

The reason why I was currently being cautious about moving was because I didn't really want to get seen at the moment, even if it was for something as simple as using a bathroom.

Seeing no one, I stepped into the hallway, closed the bathroom door, and started towards Sanya's room. It was around the corner, so I had to go a bit.

However, it wasn't going to be as simple as I wanted it to be.

Rounding the corner, I soon bumped into someone, and I felt my glasses slip off and hit the ground with a soft thud. I ended up on my rear, staring into a blurry mess of the hallway. I could barely make out who I had bumped into, which was to say...not much. I knew whoever it was wore a white shirt...and there were some sort of short brown hair on her head.

"Owie..." I heard the person give off. I think I heard their voice before... "Oh, Major Heidemarie!" It sounded like a girl's voice, and she was bowing apologetically. "I'm so sorry!"

"Where are my glasses?" I asked her. I can't go out on the mission without my glasses.

"Glasses?" The girl sounded confused before she remembered. "Oh! Right!" I watched as the blur got onto her knees and searched around a bit before finding something. "Found them! Can I put them on for you?"

"Yes."

I watched as the girl slipped my glasses back onto my face, and she started looking clearer. By a lot. "There we go. All better."

I then blinked. "M-Miyafuji?" Captain Sage had said something about talking to her, but I didn't really think I'd be doing it now...

"Yeah?" Miyafuji looked puzzled.

"N-Nothing...I was just...shocked..."

"Oh. Erm...why are you out and about right now?"

"Personal business?"

"Ah. Alright."

I then remembered that Captain Sage wasn't in the room. "Oh, Miyafuji...have you seen Cap...I mean Roland?"

"Roland-kun? Can't say I have. Maybe he's trying to rest off a nightmare?"

"...Nightmare?"

"Yeah. He gets them sometimes. I think they're generally more like visions than actual nightmares, but..."

Why would he have nightmares? What's bothering him? "I see..."

"Hmm..." Miyafuji seemed to have given it some thought before an idea popped into her head. "I got it!" She then stood up (she had to crouch to place my glasses back on my face). "Let's go into the bath!"

I blinked. "T-the bath?"

XXXXXXXXXX

This is...a bit...weird.

I'm not saying that taking a bath with another girl in the area is strange or wrong or anything...but...

"It's sad that Lynne and Perrine couldn't join," Miyafuji told me. "And Shizuka was training at the moment. Though I wonder where Sakamoto is right now..."

Sakamoto? She's referring to the major who's taken mine and Captain Sage's role for the moment, right?

"So how does it feel so far, ma'am?" my companion asked.

"It feels...fine..." I told her slowly. It did feel comforting, and the water around me felt soft. Well, as soft as water can actually get.

"At least you said yes to coming in here with me. Roland-kun pretty much refuses to take a bath with anyone else unless someone forces him."

"Roland's..." I blushed. Why would the captain be forced into the bath?

"Oh right, you weren't there when he first had it happen to him. My bad..."

We sat there for a few seconds before I asked, "Miyafuji?"

"Yeah, what is it, ma'am?"

"Can I ask you a question?"

"What is it?"

"...Roland...how close do you know him?"

"Eh? How close?" Miyafuji closed her eyes. "Well...we've kinda been close...not like in a relationship or anything...we both share similar promises, similar feelings...I guess he's a bit like a dad to me. I remember bumping into him on my first full day on the base and not really knowing who he was. After that, we've been in a lot of things together. At the time, I thought it was just a coincidence, but...maybe because he was wanting to make sure nothing went wrong...he wanted to stick close to me." She then opened her eyes.

"Oh, right. He's not from this dimension, as he explained it."

"Yeah. He explained it to you, huh?"

"Me and Sergeant Hattori."

My teammate nodded in agreement. "I see."

"I was wondering...how did you react?"

"Huh? Me?"

"Yeah. I mean, you had to have known, right?"

"Well...when the first eleven of us heard about it, it was back in Britannia. He had gotten angry at General Maloney...I forget why, but he got angry and, in his anger, accidentally revealed it in front of us. I mean, the general had said something about it earlier, but no one realized it until Roland-kun said it himself. We were each in different states about it, but...I remember how Commander Minna acted and how I felt..." She stopped.

"Oh. You don't need to tell me, pilot officer. I know how important something like-"

"No, it's alright. I mean, you're part of the team...and well..." Miyafuji stopped.

"Miyafuji?"

"Well...you looked lonely...so I thought...maybe you need a friend..."

"I...already have Sanya as a friend..." I faltered myself. I can't really say I have a lot of friends. I can only really count Sanya and some of the other Night Witches as friends, though only Sanya I can confirm without a doubt. I really don't know about Major Wittgenstein...and didn't Captain Sage say something about Miyafuji a few nights ago? "...but...are you sure?"

"Well...I mean...Sanya and I are friends...I guess everyone else around here I can count as friends as well as teammates."

"Oh...well...it'd be good...to be friends..."

Miyafuji nodded and, with a new smile on her face, added, "Thanks. You won't regret it."

...She really is an interesting girl. "You're welcome..."

"I was a bit nervous, to be honest..."

"Hmm? Why?"

"Well...I was thinking..."

I smiled a bit. "It's fine, Miyafuji...I'm used to it."

"Oh. Well...maybe we should talk a bit. You know, about childhood and things like that."

...I've got some time to wait for the mission, so why not?

XXXXXXXXXX

 _Roland's POV_

"So that's your story so far?" Rosalie asked me as I finished telling her as much as I could, leaving out my secrets and anything I didn't want her knowing (Shirley-in-the-bath card played).

"Yeah, in a nutshell," I told her. "But...well..."

"That does explain something I had asked Commander Minna about."

"W...what about?"

"She gave you the position of second-in-command alongside Major Heidemarie. I asked her about it and...she told me about you two."

Oh dear...now I can see about getting chewed out for that... "Oh. Sorry..."

"What are you apologizing for?"

"Well, I'm dating a superior officer..."

Rosalie laughed. "I'm not angry, captain. In fact, it's rather...cute."

"...Cute?" Strangely enough, I didn't consider my relationship with Minna as "cute". I mean, don't get me wrong: it really is, but...

"Yeah. Do you know the troubles with Witches?"

From experiences? "Slightly...Witches are recruited early in their development and lose their shields around age twenty."

"Yeah. You also remember that for the most part Witches have had their childhoods destroyed by the emergence of the Neuroi for this war, correct?" I nodded. "Then you know how lucky you are. You didn't join until you were eighteen, so you still had a childhood and a normal life up to that point."

"A normal life..."

Rosalie looked worried. "I'm sorry, captain. I'm not saying that it's a bad thing, but given the situation it's a good thing. Everyone cares about you, and in return you care about them. Maybe that's why the commander fell for you. So promise this if nothing else..."

"What, ma'am?"

"I want you to protect Major Wittgenstein and the others. Protect them to your last breath. For this mission, we can't be sure what we're going to go up against, but whatever it is you were needed. So show us what makes you special, alright?"

"...Yes, ma'am." Protect them...that can't be too hard...but...

Whose strength am I protecting them with?

XXXXXXXXXX

Eight at night.

Operation "Noble Sage" is go.

I revved my Striker Unit as best as I could as I took my spot in the middle of a plus-shaped formation, Heinrike in front of me. Kuroda and Jennifer took either side of me, and Heidemarie was bringing the rear a bit.

"We've only got one shot at this," Minna radioed.

"If this goes south, then we won't have another opportunity before they try laying siege to Saint Trond," Rosalie added.

Hearing that, I thought back on the pre-mission briefing around two hours ago.

 _" **Scouts have pinpointed a Neuroi hive about five clicks from here, at these coordinates,** " Minna said as she pointed to a projected screen of the map, with a red X marking the sighted location. " **As already established, we're sending a group of five Witches there to take it out.** "_

 _" **We know that you five might not have perfected team chemistry,** " Rosalie added as she stood next to the commander. " **However, it's projected that a prolonged hold on this plan will serve as an attack by them before we act.** "_

 _" **As such, we're going to** **go with a formation.** **Here.** " Mio, at the projector, clicked in a new picture with five circles arranged in a plus sign. " **Major Wittgenstein will take point while Major Heidemarie will be trailing the middle.** " Mio clicked a picture that had the markings described added, a W at the top and an H at the bottom._

 _" **Kuroda and DeBlanc will be taking one side each.** " Another picture capturing the new setup. " **There is no particular choice on who gets where, but you two will be taking those spots.** "_

 _" **Roland, you will be in the middle.** "_

 _" **Why?** " I asked. " **I don't really see...** "_

 _" **We have taken your...questions and concerns into consideration, but if the Neuroi decide to focus on you during the operation, then would you rather be in the center with four Witches capable of defending or on the outer edges and not have much for defenses?** "_

 _So I'm going to have to rely on my teammates for protection?_

 _" **The majors will be using their antennae to keep an eye out for enemies while on the way,** " Rosalie continued. " **DeBlanc, you and Kuroda are to handle enemies. Captain Sage will not be needed if things go as** **planned.** "_

I sighed.

"What is it, Captain Sage?" Heidemarie asked me over the radio.

"I'm just going over the plan a bit," I told her quickly. To Heinrike, I added, "How much farther, Major Wittgenstein?"

"About four clicks to go, Sage," she replied.

 _Anything to report, Lio?_ I tried asking mentally.

There was no response, for a reason I just remembered: because we had learned that Sanya had picked up on Lionelis when he spoke, he had advised me (after I had to isolate myself from the base for a bit) to avoid contact with him for the time being until we found a way to tell Heidemarie about it.

Instead, I felt a warm feeling in my gut, something I took as being his way of manipulating my body to say _Nothing to report_.

To fill in the time gap between origin and destination, I unslung my BAR and checked it for rounds. For this battle, I was given some sort of experimental drum that carried forty rounds. I think it was a fresh drum, and I had a few normal clips ready in case (I didn't have time to prepare myself for carrying drums). Slinging it back on my back, I readied my Browning HP and checked the clip with it. I have no idea why I still use this thing, but to be fair I felt incomplete without it. Like my vest...or Minna since about three months ago.

"You ready for this, sir?" Jennifer asked me as I looked at her. She was carrying something she called an "Hispano-Suiza HS.404 20mm cannon" in her hands, ready to handle any enemies that came to greet us.

"Not sure," I replied. I was still worried about whose strength I was using to protect. By myself, without anything improving my abilities, I can barely hold a shield for a few seconds under fire, and I've usually resorted to using Neuroi Mode for attacking. Yet Neuroi Mode risks me converting still, and Second Stage, while I do admit isn't hurting my body as much, still worsens the scars on my left arm. Maybe I can't handle this...

"Sir?"

"I'm just worrying about nothing." I forced a smile. "Maybe after we get this mission done we can have a celebratory dinner. Or something."

"That does sound interesting," Kuroda replied. "I can't say I've had Liberion food, so I'd love to try some."

"Karlsland food could be made as well. I mean, we do have Commander Minna and the other Karlsland Witches. Major Heidemarie included."

I looked behind me and saw Heidemarie blushing slightly.

"I'm not sure if I can actually do it for that many..." she started before her antennae turned red.

"For that many what?" Jennifer asked.

I felt Lionelis give off a chill throughout my body.

"I'm picking up Neuroi..." Heidemarie told me.

Neuroi?

I used Minna's magic to check the area, and found three Neuroi coming towards us from the front. One was ahead of the other two, which looked like a ship from the sea. A battlecruiser?

The other two looked weirder given the time and planet: they reminded me of looking like the _Great Fox_. Complete with the two cannons in the front, under the nose of the crafts.

"Are you guys picking this up, commander?" I asked.

"Picking up what, Roland?" Minna asked.

"I count three Neuroi. I need to confirm typing."

"Neuroi? Right now?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Give us a moment." There was a small break before she told me what she had learned. "Radar indeed picks up three closing on your position. Two appear to be large-type carriers while a third is a sort of large-type I can't quite describe."

"Any ideas?"

"Break formation for a bit and destroy. Majors Wittgenstein and Heidemarie are in command until further notice."

"Yes, ma'am," Heinrike said quickly. "Sage, you cover Schnaufer. DeBlanc, Kuroda, you're with me."

"Okay," I replied as I lifted up a bit and flew over Heidemarie. "Major Heidemarie, any orders?"

"Wittgenstein, your team handles the carriers," Heidemarie said, her normally shy tone replaced with a calm and collected one. "Captain, we're going to work on the third one."

"Erm...right." I picked up speed and, readying my BAR, aimed at the leading large-type and fired upon it, being forced to protect when a retaliatory beam shot at me. "Man, that was close."

"Keep close, captain."

Nodding, I lowered my speed and focused on protecting Heidemarie. Somehow.

Dodging a few more beams, I looked at the Neuroi and watched as it turned to face me.

" _Neuroi Witch sighted,_ " I heard it say. " _Beginnning elimination._ "

"Not right now..." I told myself as I glanced down at my watch. I was contemplating going into Neuroi Mode...but why? I mean, we've got five people here...why didn't I give this much thought before?

Isn't the whole thing just over-

"Captain!" Heidemarie called out as she flew in front of me to block a beam aimed right at me. "Please don't lose focus. We can't get shot down."

"Huh?" I asked as I blinked. I was thinking too hard?

"Focus, captain!"

I shook my head. Things must be close to being bad if _Heidemarie_ of all Witches is serious. Or Yoshika...or maybe Sanya...the point is, anyone usually all cutesy or friendly or shy or something going into "Serious Mode" is a good sign that I'm going to hate the next bit of time, according to what I've been through.

"Right!" I called out as I aimed my BAR at the Neuroi and fired off a few more shots, causing some more damage to it before a drone from a carrier-type decided to make me its target. This was soon followed by close to half the available drones in the air coming after us as the battlecruiser-type(?) backed off, forcing us to switch targets.

To be fair, I think I was having fun shooting at these things. Really: how often do you get to pretend like you're playing a hardcore version of "Shoot the Ducks" or whatever that game was called, where "around here, you don't shoot the targets; the targets shoot _you_ "?

"Five down..." I counted to myself as I fought.

"Five as well," Heidemarie told me as she bumped into my back, the two of us surrounded by drones.

"We're competing?"

"Not really, but I can't think of anything better to do."

"What about these drones?" I watched as they started charging up for some attacks. I then realized something. "Ma'am, take out the ones to our side and ready your shields."

"Okay. You get left; I'll handle right."

I turned my gun to the left and fired at the drones there, taking out a few of them before readying my shield. Glancing to my right, I saw that Heidemarie had done the same.

Soon, the defenses felt the might of around a dozen beams hitting each of them from two directions compared to four.

"Take them out while we have a chance," the major told me as she started shooting. "Six...seven..."

"Don't have to tell me twice," I replied as I continued firing, soon hearing my gun click. "Reloading!" I reached down and grabbed a spare clip before I felt a beam graze by the air next to me, making me drop the clip in surprise. "Never mind! Changing guns!" I slung the BAR onto my back and readied my pistol, all the while dodging attacks to my best ability. I could see Heidemarie doing the same behind me, and soon we found our backs against each other's again. "What is this, a dance party?"

"Dance party?" the major asked me, confused.

"Never mind!" I fired at some of them, landing a few hits before raising a shield to block a beam before we started seeing the drones explode one by one for a bit.

"We've got one carrier!" Heinrike announced through the radio. "Moving on to the second one-" I soon heard a beam from her end. "Scratch that! Battlecruiser-type engaged!"

So that's where it went...

"We'll get there," Heidemarie told her. To me, she added, "Let's move, captain."

"Yes, ma'am," I replied as we flew towards the hive. "Major Wittgenstein, where are you?"

"We made some progress-ugh!" Heinrike said before an attack interrupted her. "We made some progress towards the hive, but-Kuroda, watch your nine!"

"Right!" I heard Kuroda say over the line.

"They could really use some back-up right now by the sounds of it," Rosalie told us.

"On it!" I told her. To Heidemarie, I added, "Ma'am, let's kick it up a notch!"

"Already on it!" Heidemarie replied as we kicked our Striker Units into gear more.

XXXXXXXXXX

 _Heinrike's POV_

This is getting more complicated by the second...

First, three Neuroi, two carrier-types and a third type I can't identify. My group engaged the carriers and moved ahead to draw their attention while Heidemarie and Sage took on the remaining unit. Soon, they got the idea of making it harder for us to fight one of our targets by sending a set of drones at Heidemarie's group, giving time for their ally to escape. We had to make it a priority to take a carrier out and hope it was the right one, and after a bit we managed to destroy one, being lucky in clearing the air around them. However, the third one came after us, forcing us to go on the defensive.

"They could really use some back-up right now by the sounds of it," Major Grunne said through our earpieces.

"On it!" I heard Sage tell her.

The remaining drones bombarded us with a lot of shots, forcing us to our backs as our shields fended off the attacks. The battlecruiser-looking one (I think that's a fair way of describing it) used its own weapons to attack us as well, adding to the stress defenses were undergoing.

"Keep it together, you two!" I told my wingmates. "We can finish the mission still."

"We're trying..." Kuroda told me before she gave off a grunt.

"Pull back, Heinrike!" Major Grunne told me. "Give Schnaufer and Sage time to rejoin!"

"Negative!" I told her quickly. "Pulling back's just going to lure the enemy back to them!"

"Staying there is going to kill if not hurt you!"

"We'll be fine! We're not done yet! Kuroda, switch with me!" I flew behind Kuroda and activated my shield to give her some breathing room.

"Don't be a hero, Wittgenstein," Wilcke's voice said through the radio. "Roland and Major Heidemarie can handle them if they follow. Pull back!"

"Not yet!" The attacks finally relented, and we wasted no time in returning fire on the small drones, destroying as much as we could. "We're pushing onwards!"

"Wait!"

I barely started moving before the third Neuroi came out of nowhere, stopping in front of me. I raised my shield to block its incoming attack, but it shoved me back a fair amount. I could only pant as I floated there, the Neuroi looking at me. "Kuroda, DeBlanc. Take out that carrier. I'll make the trip to the hive alone."

"Major?" Kuroda asked before I took off towards the Neuroi, flying past it. It decided to play with me and gave chase, firing off shots when it could to force me to block and drain my energy reserves.

"Stop. Chasing. You. Bastard!" I turned myself around and aimed to fire at it, only to see it disappeared. There was a slight disturbance of air where I thought it used to be. "Huh?" What happened to it? I swore that it was following me intently...unless...

I looked out of the corner of my eyes and saw a flash of red. Raising a hasty defense, I barely caught the attack and stopped it dead...but at the cost of my shield breaking. It fired another beam that took a small chunk out of my left Striker Unit, making me lose power there. I tried aiming at it only to see it do some sort of...warp? It just disappeared in a sort of weird way.

So that's how it got in front of me...

Turning around as fast as half a Striker Unit will let me, I saw the Neuroi charging a shot, and I raised a shield once more...only to feel it promptly shatter as its attack tore a chunk out of my other half, cutting my flight capability off. Without anything to support me in the air, I started falling.

"Major!" I heard Kuroda and DeBlanc call out.

Heh...this is how I'm going out, huh? No getting cut in half by a beam, no explosions. Gravity is going to be the death of me.

I started to close my eyes.

 _I can't be going unconscious already!_ my mind said quickly. _I can still fire my gun! Wake up!_

I barely got my vision to stop going black, but everything was blurry. I felt my gun in my hands still, and I aimed at the blurry mess I thought was the Neuroi as I fired the trigger. It only took a burst to make my gun fall out of my hands.

I must have over-exerted myself blocking those beams...but I can't go down like this! My team still needs me! This operation isn't even done yet either! I can still fight!

My body chose otherwise to start shutting down, and I lost what was left of my vision as I awaited the inevitable beam that would end my life.

"Gotcha!" a voice called out faintly.

Huh? What...

That was followed by a beam that I swore was way too close to me.

...Who...?

"Major Wittgenstein, are you awake?"

...Why...?

"Major, respond!"

I opened my eyes very slowly to see...

Sage?

"Captain?" I asked slowly. How did he...?

"Good, you're awake." Sage said with a faint smile before he gave me a stern look. "Look, leave the rushing to me. No offense, but I have better luck with being reckless than you."

I was shocked: he...how did he..."How did you..."

"Don't worry. Major Heidemarie is with the others helping take out the carrier. How much strength do you have?"

"I...I can keep going..."

Sage took a second to look me over. "Doesn't look like it. Your Striker Unit's out of commission. You're unarmed, and you're too tired to keep fighting."

"Wha..." I looked down briefly. I could see the ground below, and for some reason I could feel an arm supporting my upper back as one was under my knees.

Hold on...is he...holding me...?

"I'm fine!" I protested, trying to squirm out of his grip. I could take being on his back, hell even his shoulders, but in his arms? I'm not marrying him, dammit! "Just put me down!"

"It's about a thousand feet or so down," Sage said to me. "You really want to see the effects of that?" The way he said it was supposed to be a sort of threat but with my squirming he sounded more...hysterical?

I stopped and frowned. "Alright, but you better not tell a soul about this." I've got a reputation to keep. I don't need the image of a damsel-in-distress to sully that!

"Tell a soul what?" He looked confused. "About the fact that I-"

"Yes!"

We then heard the Neuroi give off a sound. Looking in front of us, I saw that it had been floating there...staring at us?

"Why isn't it attacking?" I asked Sage.

"No clue," he admitted before he started...conversing with it in its language?

...Okay, there's some things I thought I'd never say. And then there's this. A man talking to a Neuroi.

Why does this spell all sorts of trouble with me?

"What the hell?" I asked aloud.

Sage looked down at me and said in Britannian, "Oh, right, sorry. Just asking it why it stopped."

...I'm going to humor him a bit and hold off on reporting him for fraternizing with the enemy, if only to hear what reason a Neuroi that had been attacking us has for suddenly not caring. "And?"

"Well..." He gave off a slight blush. "It said that it didn't want to hurt an unarmed lady..."

...

Okay, how the hell does it know that I'm a lady? I'm pretty sure it can't discern between male and female. Or probably even between a dog and a cat. Also, since when did they start practicing chivalry? That hasn't stopped them from taking over countries like Karlsland without any regard for civilians or shooting down Witches without so much as a second thought.

"That's it?" I asked him. That's the stupidest-

"Though it did say that it wouldn't let us go to the hive unopposed," Sage added. "Apparently, that takes priority over chivalry."

...At least its priorities are there...wait, what am I saying?!

"Let's see...either float here and wait for drones to pick us off or move on and get shot down by a chivalrous Neuroi? Never thought I'd say that..." He gave it some thought before an idea flashed in his mind. "I've got it!" He then pulled out his pistol using his magic and placed it on my stomach as he looked at me. "I'll give you this." He then maneuvered me so that I could get onto his back, my arms holding me up. He then gave off a red aura that felt like it was engulfing me as well. "Alright, now that she's armed, let's get this done." He then put his arms across his chest and gave off a red glow. "Neuroi Mode... _Activate!_ " I then got greeted by a bright red light and when I regained my sight I saw that he had started giving off a glow from his left arm, which seemed to be riddled with scars. "Show me what you've got. Are you ready to protect your objective? Because I sure as hell am." He then turned around and sped off towards the hive. I looked behind us and saw the Neuroi starting to chase after us, preparing to fire an attack.

"Captain?" I asked as I looked. "Incoming attack from your six."

"Alright." He flipped around and summoned a red shield to deflect the attack before firing one of his own. It scraped by some of the armor, no cores being exposed. He then turned back around and continued flying. "Hope you're hanging on tight, ma'am!"

XXXXXXXXXX

 _Roland's POV_

I began thinking of a way to destroy the Neuroi behind us before we got to the hive. I couldn't just attack it; I had enough on my plate trying to keep Heinrike safe as I promised Rosalie. And being in Neuroi Mode meant that I had a drain on my magic. A drain that's not helping me with prolonging my ability to use barriers...which the Neuroi behind us was using to its advantage by firing at us.

I blocked another beam unconsciously.

I couldn't stop and kill this one due to the drain and the girl behind me. Come on, think...

"Any ideas?" Heinrike asked me.

"None, sadly," I told her.

"Hmm..." She gave it some thought.

"I wonder how much a Neuroi would hurt if it rammed right into us once I stopped flying..."

"Hang on, what did you say?" She sounded curious.

I blinked but obliged. "How much a Neuroi would hurt if it rammed...right into us...once I..." I stopped.

Is she thinking what I'm thinking?

"What if we had it ram into the core up there?" Heinrike asked, pointing ahead at the hive.

"Possible, but I never lifted a Neuroi that size before..." I admitted. A Neuroi that size wasn't a simple chest. Or a human being.

"Don't need to lift it. We just need to prevent it from changing course once it realizes where it's heading."

...I get it now! "Alright, ma'am. I've got just the plan. Hope you don't mind a little upgrade." I upgraded into Second Stage.

I pointed my left arm in front of me, aiming for the core in there somewhere.

 _Lio, can you sense it?_ I asked the core.

 _ **Yeah,**_ Lionelis told me. _**We'll give you adjustments. Three degree up, seven right.**_

 _Good._ I made the adjustments I needed. _Can I pull off a trick I did once before?_

 ** _That? Not sure if you can do this whole thing and still fly, but we'll lend you what we can._**

 _Thanks._ To Heinrike, I added, "Alright, ma'am. I need you to time..."

 _ **About five seconds starting on my mark.**_

"...five seconds when I say so. Once you do so, hang on tight, alright?"

"Alright," Heinrike replied. as she activated her magic antennae. "You've got it, captain."

 _ **Start now!**_

"Begin!" I shouted.

I listened as Heinrike started timing, and I could feel my barrier still behind us as it continued blocking the Neuroi's attacks.

One...two...three...four...

"Five," Heinrike stated.

 _ **Fire!**_ Lionelis added at the same time.

I fired a beam from my left hand, as strong as I could make it, that ended up piercing the hive's armor and barely missed the core by a few inches by the looks of it. I then stopped abruptly and turned to face the incoming Neuroi, my defenses still holding up.

"Captain?" Heinrike asked me as I powered down Second Stage.

"This is part of the plan," I assured her before I extended my right hand out and tried connecting with the core flying towards us. I had to strain due to the inexperience of trying this trick on something bigger than a human, but soon a green aura wrapped itself around it.

Gotcha!

I used my newfound control to change its course to aim for the hole I had just blasted in the hive, right at the core. I maintained my magic as it started to go into the hole and then released control once it started going through, the results being an exploding hive a few seconds later along with all Neuroi associated with it.

I gave off a weak sigh of relief.

I...am probably going to just stick with using Neuroi Mode to buff my magic or something. Or see about doing some controlling spell or something. Didn't I do something like that before?

I then looked behind me and at Heinrike.

"You okay, ma'am?" I asked her.

"Yes, captain," the Witch on my back replied. "I could have handled that a lot better, but...good work." She then glared at me. "Speaking of...don't you even mention that small bit to anyone else on the base, you understand?"

"Which part?" What was she talking about? "The part where I was holding you-" I was rewarded with a bonk on the back of the head from the pistol I loaned to her. "I'm sorry, what bridal carry?" I smiled nervously.

"I mean it."

"Alright, alright, no speaking of the moment of weakness. No need to say any more."

"Also...I noticed it near the end, but there was this voice telling you to fire..."

"Oh, that?" Well, Sanya was able to hear him, and if Heinrike heard him with her magic then... "Erm...I'll explain it back on the base."

"Okay, captain. I'm holding it to you, though."

How to explain a core talking to me to someone like Heinrike...

XXXXXXXXXX

The next day, Heinrike and the others had to leave to return to their base (since we finished the operation). Each of them had some things to say to me personally, but I wasn't too worried about all of them.

What I was worried about was what I was going to attempt for an introduction...

"Roland-kun?" Yoshika asked me as she was busy fitting a radio earpiece in her ear. "Why are you having all of us place radios in our ears?"

"Yeah!" Francesca added quickly. "We're not scheduled to be on patrols or anything, so what gives?"

Apparently, after I told Heinrike about the voice I called Lionelis, she had seemed to be a bit puzzled by the fact that I would have been considering "fraternizing with the enemy" if it wasn't my body it was inhabiting. Or something; she said she wasn't sure of the loopholes concerning it, but she did note that I should refrain from keeping it a secret, at least to my own team.

 _" **If you trust these girls enough to watch your back and keep a Neuroi core inside you,** " the Night Witch major had said, " **Then you can trust them with your ability to talk to your core at will. Especially since you seemed to have learned anyone with magic antennae can pick it up.** "_

So here I am: trying to unveil a rather...talkative core to the girls and Draco.

 _ **We are not talkative!**_ Lionelis protested. _**We time our words, thank you very much.**_

I glanced over to Sanya and Heidemarie, whose antennae were active. I had asked Minna to not have a night patrol for tonight given we just finished a mission, an idea she had been ready to tell us.

Also, apparently Eila wasn't too happy with the idea that I was subjecting Sanya to this experiment, but I wanted to see a few things, one of them being if there was a limit to the amount of earpieces we could transmit his voice to. Plus, I wanted to see if Heidemarie could do the transmitting; while I'm sure Sanya could do it, I wanted to see about whether the other Night Witch on the team could do so as well.

"I'll explain it soon if all goes to plan," I told them. "Now, is everyone ready?" Each Witch gave off an affirmative answer. "Now, apparently I learned about this a while back, but I figured that, after some chatting with someone, I should go ahead and do this." I looked over to the Night Witches. "Ready, Sanya and major?"

"Ready," Sanya said as she gave a timid thumbs-up.

"Yes," Heidemarie added. She sounded like she was back to normal for now. Maybe I miss the more assertive side of her, but then again...

"Alright," I replied with a nod. "Now, I'd like to welcome to you to someone I've known for about...two, maybe three months now? Anyways, here he is." I watched as Heidemarie worked on transmitting.

 _ **Hello,**_ Lionelis said. _**Do not be alarmed. I am Lionelis, the core resting inside the Neuroi Witch.**_

XXXXXXXXXX

 _Roland: Next time on **Strike Heroes 3: Global Revengeance...**_

 _Draco: I don't know why, but...I feel funny._

 _Charlotte: Just lay down. We don't need a repeat of last time._

 _Roland: Last time? What happened last time?_

 _Francesca: It's nothing to worry about, Roland-kun! Shirley and Drakey have a history, remember?_

 _Draco: I can still fight, you know._

 _Charlotte: Not this time, Draco._

 _Draco: I promised you something! Remember?_

 _Roland: Let's not get to arguing in the preview, please._

 _Francesca: Next time..._

 _Draco: **The Dragon and the Rabbit**._

XXXXXXXXXX

 _Duke's POV_

"Sir," one of the team leaders for the project we were working on said as he came into my office to report on their progress.

I watched as he saluted me before saying, "At ease."

The leader relaxed. "We've found something out, sir. About your theory."

I raised an eyebrow. "What is it?"

"We pored over the data from Subject Xénos and found that there seemed to have been a lot of energy at the time we found him. Almost like he had been pulled from one place to another, like you suggested."

"...You're telling me what I already know, Schmidt. What's so special about it?"

"Well...given what he had with him, sir, we were thinking that...if we were to find a core and generate enough energy to cause the phenomenon again..."

He's suggesting that we...? "There needs to be a way to harness that sort of energy in the first place. Even if we did have the capability, how much do you predict we'd need?"

"...We're not sure, sir."

I nodded. "Alright. until further notice, have your men figure out how much energy we'd need to carry Operation Salvation out."

The leader saluted me again. "Yessir!"

As he left, I turned behind me and looked at Maloney, who had been standing behind me.

"'Stranger'," the former general said simply. "You've got a funny sense of humor, naming him that."

"Have you perused our information on Sage?" I asked him.

"Yeah. I will need to think of a strategy to handle him in the future once you allow me to. Anything else you need?"

"You heard the man that was just in here, correct?"

"About the energy problem? What about it?"

"I think it's time for you to get to work on your end of the project. I will reactivate one of our old operations and place you as the head of it...with a new objective."

Maloney looked at me with some intrigue. "And what's that objective, Duke?"

"Well..."

 **XXXXXXXXXX**

Ah, stinger attack!

...And there's the end of the current chapter. Jeez, being boldless is going to be annoying...I hope I get this fixed soon, otherwise I'm going to have to have Lio handle these notes for the foreseeable future. Speaking of, he's working on getting Gertrud over here in order to try fixing the problem.

Anyways, some notes to make: the ending to this arc might be a bit...rushed, but I'll let you decide. I just know that when I got back to this chapter I had to remember the general direction I was going in. Plus, a long time without an update does...not sure if wonders or curses...

Next, like I mentioned earlier, I do have the trailers for Project HD RPG up, with the start of the main story being two weeks after I conclude Project Himebana. Which, again, explains my current plight.

Finally, I am planning on putting up profiles on the FFC wikia for those characters based so far on the information I presented in the trailers and their introductions in Project Himebana.

...I think that's it for now. Oh, wait: I'm going to spend some time working on the full next arc. Plans of when it's going to be released and how are going to be left open for now, but given the wait for this one I think you know my current plans for this. Especially if you were around back in SH2 and I ended up in a situation like this. Also, thanks to a PM on the site giving me some ideas to think over, I've got something I need to look at concerning WW2 that's not exactly battle-related (though I still need to look into more battles than just the ones almost anyone can name off the their head. I'm looking at you, Operation Overlord, for starters, but I will be sure to look at them more closely).

Anyways, please read and respond and let me know what you thought of this chapter.

Thanks, and I will see you guys in the next update (hopefully back to normal).


	7. The Dragon and the Rabbit (Part 1)

**Hello, and welcome...to another chapter of** _Strike Heroes 3: Global Revengeance_ **...**

 _ **...You sound like a mess.**_

 **Sorry, just took me a while to get this chapter done...between school, the future, my other main project, and general procrastination overall, I'm just hoping this chapter works. At least I managed to get my usual wording for the notes back, so...yay?**

 **Anyways, enough about me and my issues. You guys ready for the next chapter in this story?**

 **Well, before we finally get to the first part of the new arc, let's just take some time and look at the reviews that have been sitting on my list since some time after the last story update:**

 _Gamerman22_ **: Yeah, she does seem a bit fun to be around when her reputation is in some peril...even though it does seem to pale in comparison to nearly being killed. But...is "A girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do" an accurate way of summarizing it? Now, concerning Duke and Maloney...well, I do still recall the reviews from the first chapter, so I will say this much: Duke's plan is coming a little clearer as time goes on and his group make progress on the preparations. However, even I have no idea where Duke's location is.**

 **...Seriously, I don't. I created the guy, and yet I didn't really have a concrete location in mind. He is a crafty one, I'll give him that much. Then again, gotta be if you're trying to get a plan done regarding Subject Xenos.**

 **Apart from that, thanks for the review, and hope this satisfies you. And thanks for reading my other project.**

 _redcollector_ **: I forget where, but I think I got the idea from a reader. Gimme me a bit to take a look around...**

 _ **...Author breaks fourth wall to go hunt down an answer...[Ding!]**_

 **I can still hear you!**

 **Anyways, I think I found your answer here...actually, I have no clue. I swear I saw it somewhere...I'mma keep looking...**

 ** _While he looks, let us reply to the review itself: the results are below, but the only Witches that can hear us without further assistance seem to be Night Witches, so far being Heidemarie, Sanya, and Heinrike. And that's only by using their magic antennae, as probably explained before. Roland and other Neuroi seem to be the only ones who can hear us without any assistance of any sort. Any other Witches (or ordinary person, we guess) who wish to hold a dialogue with us would need a radio earpiece or something for the Night Witch in question to send the signal into...or something to that effect. Our creator isn't exactly the expert in this sort of thing, so we hope that made sense._**

 **...I've got no idea where I saw it, if I even saw it. So just in case, credit for the idea goes to whoever mentioned it to me. If no one did, then I'm going insane here.**

 **Anyways, thanks for the review, hope you enjoy this next arc, and sorry for the lengthy response and the searching. Still doing some sorting after that fire incident from back near the end of Project Himebana, so...**

 **...That's it for the reviews so far. Now, I do apologize for the break (reasons seen above), but I did have a bit of a tough time getting this part done. Hopefully, this works, so without further ado (and to stop me from rambling on here) it's time to get this chapter started...**

 **...With a different scene?**

 **XXXXXXXXX**

 **Chapter 7: The Dragon and the Rabbit (Part 1)**

 _Draco's POV_

I opened my eyes slowly and looked at the ceiling of the room I was sharing with Lucchini and Shirley. For some reason, I felt like I was going to have a good day.

Must be a break in fighting; considering the last operation I could remember, Operation Noble Sage, occurred about two days ago, I guess I'm feeling ready to take on a Neuroi.

I made to sit up before I felt a hand gently push me back down onto my back. When I looked to my left, I saw nothing there.

Checking my right, I could see Shirley laying down next to me.

"Shirley?" I asked as I blinked. I quickly noticed that she was in nothing but her bra and panties...not that it was strange or anything, but usually when she slept in a bed the way she was currently dressed she shared it with Lucchini.

"You're up, Leo..." Shirley said to me a little sleepily. "I'm glad..."

"Uh...Shirley, why are you laying next to me?" I think Major Schnaufer was saying that she noticed that Captain Sage and Commander Minna slept together in the same bed, but they were a couple. Unless...

"Hmm? You don't remember?"

"I guess not..."

"Well, to be fair you have been though a lot the last few days. Though, maybe I should jog your memories a bit..." She leaned in and gave me a kiss on the lips as her right arm laid on my chest.

As we parted lips, I started recalling my experiences from the last few days...

XXXXXXXXXX

 **[About four days ago, after Operation Noble Sage]**

"Alright," I heard Captain Sage reply with a nod towards Major Schnaufer. "Now, I'd like to welcome to you to someone I've known for about...two, maybe three months now? Anyways, here he is."

" ** _Hello,_** " Lionelis said. I blinked quickly. " _ **Do not be alarmed. I am Lionelis, the core resting inside the Neuroi Witch.**_ "

...Did I just...?

"Anyone else heard that?" I asked the others around me.

"Yeah," Hattori replied. "It's good to know I'm not going insane."

"Roland?" Commander Minna chose to ask her boyfriend. "Why is your...core talking?"

"I have no idea, Minna," Captain Sage admitted. "He just started talking about...three weeks or so after Operation Mars."

"Well, this certainly makes things more interesting..." Major Sakamoto added.

"Okay," Captain Barkhorn said quickly, "how'd you even get him to say that to all of us?"

" _ **We figured out, with Miss Litvyak and Miss Juutilainen's help, that the only people able to hear us are other Neuroi, Roland, and Night** **Witches** ,_" the voice, named Lionelis, replied. " _ **There seems to be a way for us to communicate outside that group, but it seems to require a Night Witch sending our signal to an earpiece.**_ "

"So...Lionelis, right?" Shirley, seated close to me, said. "Why did you choose to talk to us?"

" _ **You can blame Roland and Miss Wittgenstein for this.**_ "

"So you talk to your core...how much, actually?" Lieutenant Clostermann asked.

"...Would you believe a lot?" Captain Sage asked more than replied.

"Hmm..." Yoshika's voice sounded as we all turned our heads to look at the little Fuso Witch, who was busy contemplating something.

"What's wrong, Yosh?" Lynne asked her.

Yoshika gave no reply for a few seconds before she made a fist with her right hand, patted it against the palm of her left hand, and said with a triumphant tone, "I got it: Lio-kun!" She then looked at us with a confused look on her face. "Um...sorry, did I miss something?"

"Did you just give a core we just barely knew could talk to Sage a nickname, Miyafuji?" Major Sakamoto asked. I really couldn't tell if she was upset about the fact that her fellow teammate was too busy trying to think of a nickname for a Neuroi core whose speech ability was just now revealed to the rest of us or amused that, of all the things that could be said about the situation, she had to say the most "outlandish" thing at this moment.

Yoshika looked away from the Fuso major, embarrassment plastered on her face. "Um...I was just thinking about it, that's all...I didn't mean to blurt it out..."

" _ **Well, it beats 'Roland-kun' for this guy,**_ " Lionelis quipped.

"Hey!" Captain Sage snapped quickly.

"So Roland-kun and Lio-kun?" Lucchini asked. "Hmm...aha! You two are the Kun-Kun Duo!"

I watched as Captain Sage nearly hit the ground face first before standing back on his feet quickly, red on his cheeks. "What the hell, Lucchini?"

" _ **Kun-Kun Duo?**_ " Lionelis asked. " _ **Well, we're going to dub you 'Fran-chan'.**_ "

"Please don't make 'Kun-Chan Trio'..." Hattori stated nervously. "I don't think I'd want to know that exists..."

"Hey, if I'm going to make a trio with anyone, I'm making it with Shirley and Drakey!" Lucchini announced quickly as she hugged the buxom Liberion Witch and snuggled her face into her breasts.

"Lucchini!" Shirley protested.

"I dub us 'Lushidra'!"

I sighed. I still have no idea where she got that nickname, but...wait, we're what now?

"Well, I think it's certainly...interesting to have a core to talk to..." Commander Minna told us, ignoring Lucchini's dubbed trio name forherself, Shirley, and me. "Even if it's...well, it's Roland's."

" _ **Oh, right. Your boyfriend. I'm pretty sure I definitely know the answer, but did you two-**_ " I watched as Captain Sage gave some sort of signal by slicing his right hand through the air in front of his throat, aiming it towards Major Schnaufer. We soon heard Lionelis' sentence get cut short.

"Anyways..." the Neuroi Witch said with a blush on his face. "Just let me know if you wanna talk to Lio. Note that I do need a break between chat sessions, though."

"Any other questions for him?" Commander Minna asked, a blush also on her face. "If not, then you're all dismissed."

XXXXXXXXXX

 _Minna's POV_

"So...how are you handling learning about...Lionelis, was it?" Major Sakamoto asked me as we were in my office, going over some paperwork for something. It was around ten in the morning. The last major thing we had were Operation Noble Sage and the introduction of Lionelis...well, the voice of the Neuroi core Roland had named Lionelis.

"Roland's core talking?" I replied.

"Yeah. I mean, no disrespect to your boyfriend or anything, but I'm a little concerned with the fact that he can talk to his core. Though now that I think about it, it could be a sound idea to have him translate the Neuroi language..."

I looked up at Major Sakamoto before I read through the paper I had again. "I'm pretty sure Lionelis wouldn't like it, major. Besides, he's fused with Roland, so that would probably get him tired out." Plus, while I'm feeling fine with him having a conversation with his core...I can't really shake the feeling that I shouldn't let him. I mean, beneficial to our efforts or not, Lionelis was still a Neuroi core. One whose energy loss nearly caused my boyfriend's death during Operation Mars and whose influence before Roland's claims of "two or three months ago" nearly caused him to convert.

"Commander Minna?" When I looked at her yet again, Major Sakamoto looked curiously worried. "You look a bit worried."

"I do?"

"Yeah. You've been staring at that report from last night for a few minutes now. It's not really like you."

I sighed. "...It is rather repetitive and boring, looking at paperwork. But I do have an obligation as the leader of the wing to go over these things."

"I'm not disagreeing with you, commander, but..."

I looked at the report currently in my hands once more. It seemed to be a report filed by one of the other bases near our location, saying that some had did a scouting mission last night and found no signs of the Neuroi. They don't have Roland or Miyafuji to attract trouble...

"...What about retiring?" Major Sakamoto concluded.

"Retiring?" I asked her, surprised. "I'm not too sure...I mean, I gave it some thought, especially as I am closing in on my twentieth birthday with each passing day, but..."

"Yeah, I only wish I could still fight alongside you guys, like back before Operation Mars. Now my days are filled with training the next generation. And sharpening some of our own."

"Speaking of..." Now that I thought about Miyafuji... "How's your training with Pilot Officer Miyafuji?"

"Miyafuji's a good student, and the Ōramaru doesn't cause the same troubles for her that the Reppumaru did for me, so it's definitely safe for her to use. I'd wager that she could perform a _Reppuzan_ , but given the last time she used the _Shin Reppuzan_ I'm not going to test that theory unless it happens naturally."

"And Roland?"

"Sage-kun is improving as well, especially since he decided to train alongside Miyafuji. I think he might be trying to figure something out because he asked about who could use a Reppuzan, though..."

"He did?" Why is he now getting interested in it...?

"I found it odd too considering he voiced his concerns against me using it back in Romagna, but I told him that only those of Fuso descent could use it. He might be thinking of something to go around that limitation, though. Nothing noteworthy yet, though."

"I see."

Major Sakamoto then stood up and stretched her arms over her head. "Well, I guess you should go and see about getting some relaxing done. I think Roland's still sleeping in from the operation, so if you get some time..."

Looking at the major, I nodded in agreement. "Right after I get through some more of these reports. You go enjoy yourself, Mio...I mean..."

Major Sakamoto started giving her trademark laughter. "Commander, you know we've been working together for quite some time, so you can call me by my first name informally."

"...You sure?" I usually called her by her last name and rank because I wanted to make sure the newer members got some idea of how to refer to others in the military, but...

"Sure of it. Anyways, I'd better go and see if Miyafuji's up for some more training with her katana. I'll make her into a fine Witch yet, you know."

I smiled. "I think you already did, but alright."

XXXXXXXXXX

 _Roland's POV_

Staring out at the ocean, I held my sword in front of me as I was lightly panting.

I had just finished warming up for my little experiment in trying to perform the Reppuzan without its restrictions, so I was feeling a bit warmed up.

Last I checked, it was about ten in the morning, which from last night's introduction between Lionelis and the others to right now I had about eight hours of sleep.

Ah, right, before I get too carried away, I think I need to explain a bit about what happened to lead me to this little moment...

XXXXXXXXXX

 **[Ten minutes after Lionelis' introduction]**

"Hey, Major Sakamoto," I called out to Mio, who was busy talking to Minna and Heidemarie about something. We were the only ones left in the briefing room.

"Hmm?" Mio asked me as the girls looked over at me. "What are you doing in here still?"

"Um...I am part of joint second-in-command with Major Heidemarie, right?"

"Oh. Sorry, didn't realize you were in here still..."

"We would have thought you had gone off to bed," Minna added. "I mean, you aren't really too used to night patrol outside your scheduled ones, so..."

"Anyways, what did you want to talk about?"

"Something...personal..." I replied. For some reason, I thought back on the _Shin Reppuzan_ and wanted to ask about what Mio knew about it, but...at the same time I didn't want Minna to get worried and think I was going to try something dangerous. Well, I might, but...it depends on what information Mio provides.

"How personal?"

"...New combat technique for a sword?" Well, it is true...

Mio closed her shown eye as if in thought before nodding. "Alright. Commander Minna, Major Schnaufer, do you mind waiting for me?"

"Sure thing, major," Minna told her. "We'll take this to my office and catch you up on it when you arrive." The Karlsland Witches left the room, leaving Mio and me alone.

"I really hope I didn't...you know, interrupt something vital..." I tried as I blinked. I didn't think to consider if it was wise to tear Mio from the conversation.

"No," Mio told me. "We were just discussing about something we learned about recently." She then lowered her eyebrows. "So...Sage, what is this question of yours?"

"I didn't want Minna to hear me ask about it, but...I was wondering..." I faltered. Am I an idiot for thinking about that blasted spell? The one that cost Yoshika her magic after its use and wore Mio's down?

Mio picked up on my hesitation. "Sage, please tell me your question right now. We are comrades, right?"

I nodded slowly. Here goes... "...Can you...tell me a bit about the _Shin Reppuzan_? Or about the _Reppuzan_ in general?"

Mio instantly frowned. "Captain, why are you bringing this up?"

"I just...started thinking about it...ma'am..."

"You can't use it, Sage. And even if you could, you'd end up without magic again. Plus, what do you think would happen to your core this time?"

"I know that, major, but...what do you mean by 'even if I could'?"

The major sighed. "Only Witches of Fuso descent can use those sorts of spells. That includes Miyafuji and me before my magic loss."

"...That's it?"

"Yes. I fail to see why you're asking about it."

"I was going to...try seeing if I could use one...in an emergency..."

Mio looked intrigued. "An emergency? What for? You have Neuroi-"

"I don't want to simply rely on that alone!" I snapped before I blinked. "I'm sorry, major!"

"...Okay, what's your real concern?"

I blinked again. "Huh?"

"You wouldn't think of something like this unless there was a reason, right? So what is it?"

"...I'm worried..."

"About what?"

"Major, I've been hurt by a Witch Hunter and barely managed to beat Gamma the first time I met one of them. I forced myself to not simply rely on Neuroi Mode during Operation Noble Sage." I sighed. "I just...wanted to have as much skills as I can."

"And you think being a hypocrite will help you to do that?"

"I wanted to try learning it for an emergency, not use it as a crutch."

Mio looked a bit saddened. "...I'm sorry, Sage, but...even if you could find a way to go around the limitations, I can't allow myself to teach you how to perform a _Reppuzan_."

I nodded slowly. I really do want to learn how to use it, but...Mio's right... "Alright, forget I ask then...I'll...just figure out something..."

XXXXXXXXXX

Which brings us to now...well, as close to now as I could get it.

I gripped my sword with both hands and focused on the blade as much as I could.

Let me see if I can try recreating it as best as I could...

I soon felt my aura get cut off, and I pointed the sword to the ground.

 _ **Are you crazy?**_ Lionelis asked. _**We aren't ready to try saving you again.**_

 _Sorry, Lio..._ I said as I breathed heavily. _I just wanted to try it once..._

 ** _Well, we can try thinking of a way to do it, but..._**

 _I want to try this on my own. There's got to be a way to make it so that I can perform something like the Reppuzan and try not having the same drawbacks._

 ** _You know that it might be impossible for you to do something like that. Not unless_ _you..._**

"Roland-kun?" I heard Francesca's voice ask from behind me. I turned around to find the Romagnan Witch sitting on a tree limb above my head.

"Huh?" I asked as I blinked in shock. "How long have you been sitting there?"

"What are you talking about? I've been here for the last ten minutes. In fact, I asked to tag along with you."

"...Wait, when did I say that?"

"Duh, only about ten minutes ago!"

"...You're going to have to remind me, but...why?"

XXXXXXXXXX

 _Draco's POV_

"You sure it was a good idea to send Lucchini off with Captain Sage?" I asked Shirley as we were busy doing some tinkering with my Striker Unit. I was originally going to do some basic checks on it, but Shirley seemed to have gotten an idea for some sort of modification and was trying to go to town with it.

"Positive," my friend said nonchalantly. "You sound like Roland can't handle a thirteen-year-old girl."

"...Sometimes, I wonder how he even puts up with the girls younger than him..."

"Hey!" Shirley sounded embarrassed. "I am nice and polite around him!"

I gave off a faint smile. "Ah, forgot you were younger than him until I mentioned it?"

"I didn't forget! I was just...I was just focusing on this Striker Unit!" She then went back to work on her modifications.

"Speaking of...is it really a good idea to just modify this thing?"

"Oh come on, I'm still here, aren't I? Yeah, I did get in trouble for those modifications, but to be fair they do work. Well, at the very least Merlin works."

"That's Merlin, not my Striker Unit."

"Anyways, I'm just trying to improve some things here. You know, make it different from the other ones like it."

"This is my Striker Unit. There are many like it, but this one is mine..."

"You know, that sounds an awful lot like the Rifleman's Creed, Draco."

"I would hope so. It's rather accurate for you and Captain Sage, at least. Maybe Yoshika...sorry, Pilot Officer Miyafuji, I guess now..."

"Well, I guess..." Soon, we heard a truck coming in for some reason. "Hmm? Who's coming here right now?"

"I dunno," I looked at the truck and noticed as two men came out from either side of the front and headed to the back before I noticed a girl step out. I saw that she wore glasses and looked suspiciously like...

"Oh, it's Ursula." She then cleared her throat. "Hey, Ursula! Good to see you!"

"Hmm?" Ursula asked as she looked at us. "Oh, Captain Yeager and...sorry, but...?"

"Sergeant Draco El Dracon, ma'am," I told her.

"Ah. I have something for you now that I think about it, sergeant..."

Shirley and I looked at each other.

What did she bring with her?

XXXXXXXXXX

"Since Captain Sage's Striker Unit seems to adapt to his powers based on the reports I heard, we worked on trying to emulate that," Ursula explained inside the briefing room, her, Commander Minna, Major Sakamoto, Captain Sage, Major Schnaufer, Shirley, and myself standing as we looked at the board, where she had pinned up some diagrams for a Striker Unit her division had developed. "It's been somewhat...difficult due to its uniqueness and lack of design plans or information on its creator apart from former General Maloney's involvement." I noted that everyone except Ursula, Major Schnaufer, and myself were at some variation of different emotions when the former general's last name was mentioned, with Commander Minna looking a bit worried, Major Sakamoto and Shirley looking peeved, and Captain Sage gritting his teeth. "Sorry, I didn't mean to make you four relive some memories."

Memories?

Hmm...I know that the Strike Witches had been disbanded by him some time before I joined the military, so it'd make sense that they're still not completely fine with hearing his name a lot. And Shirley's told me about the battle with the Warlock and the dubbed "Warlagi" (a name Captain Sage had pinned when I asked him about what they had called it). But...why are the couple's reactions different from the others'?

"It's alright, ma'am," I said. "I don't really know too much about the incident itself apart from what I've been told, but...what does this have to do with the Striker Unit?"

"Right," Ursula clapped her hands gently. "Now, this Striker Unit, which we codenamed the 'Flash Fire', is made to adapt to the user's abilities."

"Okay..." Captain Sage began as he and the others started to relax. "So this is able to tell whether its user has adapted to its 'current' specs?" He placed the word "current" in air quotes.

"That's one way to think about it. Usually, a limiter kicks in when too much magic is being detected, as was the case with Miyafuji's Striker Unit, correct?"

"Yeah?" He had an eyebrow raised.

"Think of this as a Striker Unit that's got two standard. This makes it easier to deploy if a Striker Unit used by one Witch is taken out of commission for any reason. The weaker one is in effect until a Witch's magic gets too much for it, at which point power is redirected to the second, more powerful limiter before being sent to the magic engine."

"...I'm kinda lost..."

"Basically, the Striker Unit works with minimum fuss no matter who uses it, right?" Shirley clarified.

"Yes," Ursula agreed.

"...Oh," Captain Sage said, at least not as confused as he was before. "So...why did you bring it here?"

"Well, I figured that I'd see about testing it with a few Witches...and Sergeant Dracon."

"Wait, me?" I asked as I pointed to myself. "Why?"

"Witches are normally female, so the test should go well for them. Not perfectly, but enough to get some results. Male Witches are usually weaker, so for those who are able to pull as much weight as their female counterpart we need to make sure this works for them as well. That's where Sergeant Dracon comes in: he can test it and see if it'll work for a male Witch of his power."

"And not to sound like I'm against the idea, but why should it even been tested?" Captain Sage asked. "You know what happened the last time a prototype was given to us, right?"

"Yes, I am perfectly aware. We were barely in our infancy with the Jet Striker line at the time, but we have made some more strides. Some testing with some of our later models had some...interesting results."

"Right, that time..." Commander Minna said carefully. "That certainly was an interesting time, especially given what happened during the test with the Zwei Link."

I watched as Captain Sage blinked and looked at his girlfriend and said, "Wait, what test?"

"It's nothing, Roland."

"So couldn't Captain Sage handle the testing?" I asked.

"While he would be perfect for testing thanks to his Striker Unit's properties, his is not like a normal Witch's," Ursula explained before looking at the captain in question. "No offense, captain."

"None taken?" said captain asked more than said.

"Anyways, the next candidate we could use is you, sergeant. You do have a military record yourself with your time just before you first joined the Five Hundred and First along with your record since then."

Well...it would be nice to try a prototype. I mean, if I could help by testing an idea, then...hang on, my records?

A hand slammed into a wall, and when we all looked Shirley looked mad as her right hand rested against said wall.

"No way in hell!" she said quickly.

"What?" Captain Sage asked.

"I said no way in hell! What Draco went through before joining us is why I don't want him testing the new Striker Unit!"

"...Shirley?"

"Is there something we're missing?" Commander Minna tried.

"You're usually not the type to get angry, Shirley," Major Sakamoto replied. "What's going on?"

Shirley blinked as she realized that she had snapped before sighing. "It's nothing..."

...

"But I don't want Draco flying that thing! I'll pilot it myself if I have to."

"You're not being asked to pilot it," Major Sakamoto clarified. "Sergeant Dracon is. He's the only other male Witch on the team apart from Sage, and as such he is being requested by Lieutenant Hartmann here."

"But I don't want that!" She then looked at Captain Sage. "Roland! Talk some sense into her!"

"Me?" the captain asked in shock as he blinked. "Why me? I'm not the one being asked to test a prototype!"

"Because you're better at being the voice of reason, so-"

I sighed and uttered a single word: "Charlotte."

Everyone else looked at me, including my target. "Draco?"

"I know after what happened that day you don't want me testing anything new, but if Miss Hartmann wants me to test something out for her then who am I to argue?"

"But-"

"I'll be fine." I then looked at Ursula. "I'm going to be in good hands during the tests, right, ma'am?"

"Of course," the lieutenant replied.

"Then...count me in."

"Draco..." Shirley said in a defeated tone.

"I'll come along with you as well, Draco," Captain Sage added, "If the goal is to try recreating the ability to improve based on its user's abilities, then you'll need a baseline, right?"

"That would be appreciated, captain," Ursula told him, "but I think you'd fit better as a moderator who's with him. In case something goes wrong. After all, you did seem to escape being killed by Captain Barkhorn crashing into you back with the Jet Striker."

"...Don't remind me...also, how do you even know that?"

I don't know if anyone else noticed, but I could see Shirley leaving the room in defeat.

I hope she's not going to be too upset...

"Oh, there is one issue," Ursula chose to include. "We have everything in the truck out and ready...but we are performing final adjustments before we perform testing."

"How long would that be?" Commander Minna asked.

"About...two days."

"That's it?" Captain Sage tried. "Two?"

"Yes. After the prototype Jet Striker Captain Barkhorn tested, we wanted to make sure things were in order before beginning the tests. We did the same thing about a month or two ago."

"...That's good to know? So what should we do until then?"

I then watched as Commander Minna grabbed her boyfriend's left arm and hugged on to it.

"I would like to have some time with you before I get back to papers," she told him.

"...Erm..." He looked like he had a strange thought in his head.

"Just the usual, Roland."

"...Okay...right, totally wasn't thinking of anything else just now..." I then watched as the commander led the captain out of the room.

"Speaking of, Major Sakamoto," Ursula said after a while. "Have you seen Erica?"

"She should be...I'm not sure," the major in question replied. "Why don't you go track down Captain Barkhorn? She might know the answer."

"Alright." She then left.

"Sergeant?"

"Huh?" I asked her.

"I would like to talk to you in private."

About Shirley?

XXXXXXXXXX

 _Charlotte's POV_

I sat in front of Draco's Striker Unit, trying to decide whether I wanted to keep going on the modifications I had planned or scrap it and wait until after the tests were done.

It's been a few minutes after we were told that Draco would be testing a new Striker Unit, and...I was worried...a bit...

...How do I figure out what's going on in my mind right now?

"Shirley?" Draco asked from behind me.

I turned my head to see that he was standing behind me.

"Oh..." I said as neutrally as I could. "Hey...Draco..."

"Well, that's at least better than what I had planned your reaction to be," Draco said in relief.

"...Why would you even...?"

"Well, you were kinda starting to act out back there, and...I asked Captain Sage about it after a talk with Major Sakamoto and what he explained as 'Minna's Cuddling Corner'." I raised an eyebrow. "And before you ask, he clarified it for me: it didn't have anything to do with...well, 'that'." ...Huh, I guess that answered one question... "Anyways, he suggested that I talk to you about it. Something about being forced to sleep on the couch or something or other..."

"We don't have a couch in the room."

"That's what I thought as well." He then cleared his throat. "So...what are you doing right now?"

"I'm just...thinking..."

"Thinking about...?"

"Well, I was thinking about what kind of modification I should give your Striker Unit."

"Oh...well...I guess...surprise me?"

"...That's a bit...odd for you to request..."

"Well...I wanted to try making it up to you after deciding to go through with the testing."

"Why?" He was right in a way: Ursula asked for him to test it. I don't really have too much say in it considering that I've got the majors, Commander Minna, and at least Captain Sage above me (even if he was the same rank as me and had it for less time than me, he was joint second-in-command).

"Because I could? Anyways, I wanted to say it before I forgot: I'll test your modifications for you after I finish testing Ursula's prototype."

"...You know that it'll take me some time. Getting my adjustments on Merlin done took me quite some time, and that was to try breaking the sound barrier."

"I trust you. After all, we're a team, right?"

I sighed. "Alright, Draco...but I'm holding you to that promise. You're going to test your modified Striker Unit right after the test, got it?"

"Yeah. But you do have some time...I have to wait for the final adjustments to be done, which she said will be taking two days to make sure nothing goes wrong before the tests."

"Two days?" I got a brilliant idea in mind. "Well, then...I'd better get started on what I wanted to modify."

"Alright. Want me to help?"

I lowered my eyebrows. "You wanted to be surprised, remember? You helping will just ruin it for you."

"...Right. Well, at least don't push yourself too hard...alright?"

"I won't."

XXXXXXXXXX

 _Draco's POV_

The next day, Captain Sage and I were sitting in the dining hall, waiting for lunch to get done. Our chefs for today were Captain Barkhorn and Commander Minna, which was...to be honest, a weird combination but sounded good in theory.

"So..." the captain said as he held a small deck of cards in his left hand, his right hand on top. In front of him were about fourteen cards, face-up. "Is it just me, or did you end up with most of the good cards?"

"Dunno, sir," I told him as I held an equally-sized deck in my hand. In front of me were the rest of the cards that had been used so far.

"Seriously, I only won two cards from you and those eight from the tie-breaker."

"I can't tell you, sir."

The captain sighed. "Well, I do know that the air does smell nice. Wonder what they're making..."

I tried smelling the air but got nothing. "What smell?"

"Oh. Right...I think I should clarify: Lio thinks the air smells nice."

The core inside you? "He can smell it?"

"Not exactly, but...you know how you swear you can watch something new and have a good idea how to handle it when you do it yourself? Well, think of it a bit like that. He picks up anything I don't detect and holds it unless I need to know."

"...So...your senses are enhanced?"

"Not really. I never really figured out if my senses were enhanced tapping into him without a Striker Unit...not even sure what to call it...Anyways, ready?"

"Yeah."

"Three...two...one..." We both drew a card and set it on the table. "Five."

"Six."

"...Dammit!" I took the cards and added them to my winnings. "The one game my luck doesn't work well in...or maybe one of them..."

"Is that bad?"

"Not really, Draco..."

"Oh."

"You know, it does feel a bit like back in Britannia when the girls and I made some sweets."

"Sweets?"

"Right, you weren't there...how to summarize it? Shirley went into town to grab some goggles, Fran thinks she's mad at her, Yoshika and Lynette suggest making sweets for a make-up gift, bada-bing, bada-boom, we all had a bunch of sweets. All hand-made."

"That sounds a bit...much..."

"This was back when I was the only male. Life wasn't exactly like it has been since you joined. You have to remember that this was back before I accidentally let the girls know about my secret."

"Oh. Three, two, one..." We drew another card each. "Two."

"Ace. This is the only one in this deck, apparently." He collected the cards.

"...What should I do about Shirley?"

"Hmm?" Captain Sage looked intrigued. "What do you mean?"

"Well...I've been thinking about it for a while now, but...should I tell her about how I feel concerning her?"

"...As in a confession? Hold up, a _confession_?!" He looked shocked.

"Yes, sir. I mean, I like her but...we were friends since some time after I met her. I didn't see her again between her leaving to join and me joining, and...well, I just don't want this chance to slip by..."

"I dunno if you really want _my_ opinion on the matter...it took a kiss from Marseille and a risk at salvaging the situation for me and Minna to get together, so I'm not exactly the pinnacle of examples."

"I mean...do you have any advice on how to approach it?"

"...Don't wait too long?"

"That's not too helpful, sir..."

"I'm serious! Think about it for a second: if it hadn't been for Tina kissing me, I think I would have lost the chance to say it to Minna."

"You know, you're making it sound like I would have not gotten a chance to do so myself," a new voice said.

"Exactly my point, Draco. And that did sound like a good impersonation of Minna's voice, I'll give that to you, but I really don't know what she would have said about-she's standing behind me, isn't she?"

I looked behind him and saw Commander Minna standing there, a bowl of bratwursts in her hands. She was apparently wearing a pink apron.

"Dunno," I tried. "Do you think she looks good in pink?"

"What kind of question is that to ask?" Captain Sage replied.

"Hello, Roland," the commander greeted him as she set the bowl down to his right. "You know that I had been thinking of telling you the same thing back then, right?"

Captain Sage raised an eyebrow as he seemed to be conversing with someone mentally before adding, "Fair point. You did mention that you would have during your little rant then."

"Thank you for reminding him, Lionelis."

"...Now I've got a smug little voice in my head...thanks, dear..."

"No problem." She smiled playfully (I think).

"So...is lunch almost ready?"

"Almost. Trude is busy finishing the last batch."

"Alright." Captain Sage put his deck down and stood up. "I'll go let the others know. Or in Sanya's and Major Heidemarie's cases, see if they can pick up Lio."

"Okay." We watched as the captain left the dining hall before she looked at me. "So...what were you two talking about?"

"Hmm?" I tried. "Oh, nothing too important..."

"Really? I would think trying to confess feelings for someone is nothing to sneeze at."

I blinked. "Wait, you heard that?"

"Yes, sergeant. I have been standing here for some time."

"...Wow, I need to pay attention more around the base."

"You and Roland both. Though to be fair he has a better chance of detecting me if he used his aura sense."

"I see."

"So...who's the lucky girl?"

"Wouldn't you know, ma'am?"

"Well, I just wanted to hear it again. If you don't mind."

"...Shirley."

Commander Minna blinked in surprise. "I didn't think you would hesitate like that."

"Well...I've been thinking about it for a while, but..."

There was a brief moment of silence before Commander Minna spoke again. "And what did Roland tell you?"

"Don't wait too long?"

"Hmm...well, it seems you might need a lady's opinion on the matter." She took a seat and grabbed Roland's deck. "Do you know how to play some card games?"

"Like?"

"Blackjack? Mau Mau?"

"...I can do Blackjack. That's the one where you have to get close to or exactly twenty-one, right?"

"Yep. I learned it from an old friend."

"Oh." I handed her my cards, and she shuffled the complete deck a bit before we started playing for a while. It wasn't too much excitement during the game, so for the sake of trying to save some time I'll just explain what was said between us, starting with Minna:

"So you have a thing for Shirley, correct?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"You can call me just Minna."

"...You sure, ma'am?"

"Yes. I allowed Roland to do so back when we talked informally. Before the whole girlfriend-boyfriend thing. Anyways, hit or stay?"

"Ah...um, hit."

"Hit or stay again?"

"Stay?"

"Alright...Dealer wins...how long have you had this feeling?"

"I'm not too sure...if I had to remember, it was between Operation Mars and Saint-Hubert."

"Right. Did you have any crushes on anyone else? I'm just curious...also, your move."

"Hit. Last I checked, not really. I mean, I guess...I might have had one on another girl, but I kinda got disillusioned or something about it afterwards."

"Okay. So only eyes for Shirley?"

"...Can I just say that you're starting to sound like one of her parents?"

"What makes you say that?"

"I don't mean her parents were that bad, but you know how parents can be about their daughters sometimes, right? Stay."

"I'm not really sure. My parents were fine with me and Kurt, but that was about it. Speaking of, if you do choose to court her then don't go dying on her please. Push."

"...Why would I do that? Also, who says 'courting her'?"

"Well, I do, for starters. I am older than you, so I do need to keep some appearances."

"Right..."

"So want some advice?"

"Will it at least be worthwhile, Minna? Please tell me it is..."

XXXXXXXXXX

 _Shirley's POV_

I wiped my forehead to remove the sweat from there as I looked at the inside of Draco's left half of his Striker Unit.

I think I'm making some good progress on these modifications so far: I think I've managed to make some good improvements I think he might like.

Some more speed to help him keep up with me, for starters.

Course, that was only one half; I still needed to make the necessary adjustments to the other half. And then make sure this puppy worked still and see if I can feel a difference myself.

"Shirley?" Roland's voice said as I looked behind my right shoulder. I saw him entering the hangar.

"Hey, Roland," I said quickly as I waved my right hand in the air. "Over here."

"There you are. I was going to say that lunch is going to be ready soon, so..." He faltered a bit. "Hey, this is Draco's Striker Unit, right?"

"Yeah. I'm pretty sure it is."

"Oh. So this at least explains your time spent here..."

"Of course. What, do you think I was dodging Draco?"

"...I don't really know if I know the answer to that, so..."

"...I wasn't, in case you didn't know. I'm just busy getting this thing done for him to test out after he goes through with the other test he volunteered for."

"Ah. Speaking of...you were acting kinda...unusual. Care to explain?"

"...I don't want to explain."

"Why not? If it's upsetting you, then..."

"I said no!" I said that rather forcefully. When I looked at his response, he looked stunned. "Sorry, Roland, but...what happened before he joined the Strike Witches stays with me, Draco, Marseille, Pottgen, Lucchini, and the brass at the time."

"...I understand..."

"...You do?"

"Yeah. I wasn't exactly truthful to you girls at first, remember? If you want to keep something to yourself, do so. I won't stop you. But...if you ever wanted to talk about it, I'm all ears."

"Thanks for understanding...I guess..."

"That's what friends are for, right?"

...Not sure how close we are as friends, but...I do remember some things about you from when you were sick in Britannia...

XXXXXXXXXX

 _Draco's POV_

Today was the day of the test.

I was sitting in the Striker Unit Ursula had managed to bring in earlier today, resting in the Launch Unit. It seemed to be a reciprocating Unit, like most of ours.

"Alright, you two," Ursula explained to me and Captain Sage, who was standing to my left. She was standing off to our right along with Commander Minna, the majors, and Captain Barkhorn. "I want you to take it easy, alright, sergeant? We're going to be trying some basic maneuvers once you're in the air, so let's go over the start-up sequence. Fitting comfortably?"

"Yeah," I told her.

"Alright. Start up the engine slowly. I want to listen to how it performs."

I focused and gave some power to the magic engine, hearing it roaring to life.

"...I said slowly, sergeant."

"Sorry, ma'am. Just lost focus for a second."

"Try not to mess up, alright? Can you bring it down a bit?" I slowed down the engine so she could listen. "Alright, sounds good. Apart from the roar from the beginning."

"Again, sorry..."

"Next, bring it up to speed and prepare to take off. Wait until Captain Sage is in the air before moving on. Have your earpiece?"

"Yes, ma'am." I tapped my left ear.

"Alright." She taped her right ear gently and said the next line through my earpiece: "Can you hear me? Over."

"Yes, ma'am. Over."

"Good. You may take off when ready."

Hmm...everything should be good for a take-off, so...

"Sergeant Dracon, taking off," I said as I started flying down the runway, soon lifting my body into the air. I got a good few hundred feet off the ground before Captain Sage approached me, carrying a few things with him. "Hey there, sir."

"Afternoon, Draco," the captain told me. "You ready for some testing?"

"Yeah...what are you carrying anyways?"

"Hmm?" He looked at the things in his hands, a radar gun of sorts in his right hand and a clipboard in his left hand. There was a strap that was wrapped around his right wrist. "Oh, some things for testing. I have the radar gun here to check your top speed."

"Ah. What exactly is this thing's top speed anyways?"

"...Let me see really quick..." Captain Sage looked at the clipboard a bit before sighing. "Not really known. I think that's why we're testing: to get some raw data."

"Oh." I then decided to radio our test-giver. "Hey, Lieutenant Ursula, what are we doing first?"

"Captain Sage should be up with you, correct?" Ursula asked.

"Yep."

"Good. Now, I need you to go fly a bit and then turn back and fly so that you can pass by the captain and the radar gun. I also want you to let me know how well you can accelerate, alright?"

"Um...sure." I started flying off for a bit.

I wonder if Shirley's done with those modifications yet...I really hope she is because...well...

...I really want to test her modifications out...I mean, I did promise her, so...

"Draco?" I heard Captain Sage radio in. "I think you should turn back and come at me now."

"Hmm?" I asked myself before I remembered my current job. "Right." I performed an Immelmann turn and adjusted myself so that I could fly past the captain and get some data. I then felt myself accelerating, which felt...kinda smooth, now that I think about it. I think; it was definitely rather smooth and efficient, and I picked up speed rather quickly. I soon felt my acceleration level out as I soon flew past Captain Sage.

"About...five hundred miles per hour," Captain Sage called out.

"Alright, could you do that again, sergeant?" Ursula asked me.

"Sure. I'll come back from my current direction, so a quick turn around and I'll be there again."

"Alright."

XXXXXXXXXX

I found myself panting slightly as I finished the tenth pass for the recording session.

"You okay there, Draco?" Captain Sage asked me as he was busy writing down the final test result. "We don't need you wearing yourself out..."

"I'm fine, sir," I told him as I radioed Ursula. "Hey, ma'am? I think the acceleration is rather smooth. Slowing down and then speeding back up, regaining my lost speed was rather fast."

"I see," Ursula replied. "Alright, next we'll be testing the maximum height. Please start from near the ground and fly with the captain. We'll do this three times to get an idea of how high up you can get before losing the engines' power."

"Alright."

"I guess I'll be escorting you for now then, Draco," Captain Sage added as we started to fly low along the ground. Well, as low as we could with trees. "Ready?"

"Yeah."

"Then let's get as high up as we can." We tilted ourselves up towards the sky as I started the next part of the testing.

"You think we can see how fast I can go heading up?" I asked Ursula.

"Why?" she asked. "We just need data on how high the Flash Fire can go."

"True, but wouldn't knowing if the acceleration would work heading on a climbing course before we take this thing into combat?"

"...Fair point. Alright, but take it easy. We are still testing, and you do need to save your magic for the landing."

"Okay." To Captain Sage, I said, "Alright, sir. Highest gets a meal paid for by the loser?"

"You know, we do get meals for free on the base, but, alright. Winner gets a meal brought to them by the loser."

"Deal." I started picking up some speed as the captain did the same thing. We were neck-in-neck for about a minute before I started feeling something in the Flash Fire being...off...

Hmm, maybe I can make a quick fix by making my magic consumption occur at a lower rate?

I tried it, but for some reason I couldn't do it.

...This is starting to sound very similar to the Jet Striker Captain Barkhorn tested...

I soon felt my magic consumption increase dramatically as I picked up a lot of speed, overtaking Captain Sage.

"Sergeant?" I heard him ask over the radio.

"I think I've got a problem, sir," I told him.

"What is it?"

Soon, I felt a burst of speed that rocketed me higher into the sky before I felt it cut off.

XXXXXXXXXX

 _Roland's POV_

After Draco told me that something was up with the prototype Striker Unit, a burst of speed separated us.

"Ursula!" I shouted into my radio.

"Sergeant Dracon, can you slow down the Striker Unit?" Ursula asked her tester.

"Not responding," he told her. "I tried reducing the magic I gave it, but..." He then groaned. "...Now I've got a massive headache for some reason..."

"Roland, get the sergeant and stop this test!" Minna ordered.

"Right," I replied as I focused on switching to Jet Mode.

What ended up stopping me from doing just that was the following: Draco gave off a quick warning of "Sir, don't get any closer!" as he groaned before I looked up and saw what amounted to be one of the strangest things I had seen him anyone do.

We both stopped climbing, him about a thousand feet or so above me, and he, for some unexplained reason, gave off a burst of flames that projected out of his body. I could see (once I got past my eyes feeling the heat) that he had some sort of wings created in fire. I didn't really get a chance to see what they looked like because just as quickly as I saw it, I then watched it leave. As a result, I could only stare as he floated up there for a bit before his Striker Unit came off...

And he started falling.

"Roland!" Minna's voice shouted through the radio earpiece.

"Uh, right," I only said as I flew up and covered the gap left by Draco's climb. I then managed to catch him as he fell past, the Striker Unit sailed past me. I took a quick look at him and saw that he appeared to not have injuries on his body, but he was unconscious.

"What's going on up there?" Mio's voice asked through the radio.

"...Heads up on that prototype," I told her. "It's paying a visit earlier than expected."

"What does that even...hold on! Commander Minna, we've got the Flash Fire on a crash course towards our position."

"Can you intercept?" Minna asked.

"Yeah, gimme a moment," I replied. "Gotta get to Jet Mode to catch up."

"Hurry, but make sure Sergeant Dracon's well-being takes priority."

"Roger!"

 _Lio!_ I added mentally. _We need to get to Jet Mode!_

 ** _On it!_** the core replied. _**Start moving!**_

I held Draco with my right arm wrapped around him, pointed myself down towards the ground, and flew for a bit before I felt my Striker Unit go into Jet Mode. I then felt Lionelis pumping as much energy into me as it could. This resulted in me getting there quickly as the Flash Fire (most likely) reached terminal velocity. However, it looked to be close to hitting the ground, and I reached my left hand out quickly as I focused on catching it.

Soon, the Flash Fire gave off a green aura, and I righted myself so that I could slow down...which took a while due to the speed I was traveling at before braking.

I ended up stopping about a mere two inches from the ground, the magic circles spouting from the Striker Unit sputtering across the runway as they dissipated.

"Major Sakamoto, get Miyafuji to the infirmary," Minna said as I floated there, the Flash Fire floating in the aura I surrounded it with and Draco limp under my right arm. "We need her to help check him for anything."

"What happened?" Ursula asked as she came over to check on us.

"I dunno, lieutenant," I replied as I gently placed the prototype Striker Unit down, which only really amounted to a moderate-sounded thud (whatever that means to you). "He just started accelerating and then stopped and..." I stopped. Did those wings I saw him make earlier mean anything?

I think the only person who might have an inkling of anything going on with Draco is Charlotte: she was rather adamant about him not testing the prototype, but then again this could be based on Gertrud's trial with the first Jet Striker.

"And?" Ursula asked me.

"...I'm not sure. I'm still processing it, but..." First thing first should be getting Draco somewhere safe. "Let's worry about the tester first, alright?"

"Right." Ursula nodded her head, but...

I closed my eyes as I thought about a few things and noticed that Ursula seemed to have a sort of...blue aura? It was rather faint, like she was trying to suppress it, but...

Does it mean what I think it means?

XXXXXXXXXX

 _Charlotte's POV_

I closed the panel leading to Draco's right Striker Unit with my left hand as my right hand wiped my forehead off with a rag I brought with me. I had been running some tests via usage in order to see what I needed to fine-tune, and so far I think I've almost got it. Just need to check the current configurations I made and then see if anything felt wrong.

I jumped into his Striker Unit and revved the magic engine a bit once my familiar's features appeared. I put the engine through some tests via revving to feel how it felt when speeding up or slowing down as well as checking where the magic went into. I made it so that some of it went into speed, but I also made sure that energy allocation went into offense more. You know, since he's got an offensive-type spell.

I mean, some defenses don't hurt, but I'm used to adding some speed in. Just habit; besides, it might help Draco keep up if he needed to tail a target.

Satisfied about my latest adjustments, I powered the Unit down and slipped out, my features receding.

"Well, that's pretty much it," I said to myself as I looked around me. "Though then again, I wonder what that noise was earlier..." I remembered hearing someone running, but I think it was for something trivial. Maybe it had been Lucchini causing some mischief...or something.

Hey, she's a good kid when given a chance, but she's still a kid. Well, she's a teenage girl now given her thirteenth birthday passed by last December, but still...

I started hearing some more footsteps again. And some voices.

"Hmm?" I asked myself. Curious, I peeked out from behind the Launch Unit and caught a glimpse of Ursula, Commander Minna, Roland, Barkhorn, Major Heidemarie, and Draco. Roland looked a little tired as he was hunched over a bit and for some reason Draco was in Barkhorn's arms...

Asleep?

"Get the sergeant to the infirmary," Commander Minna instructed Barkhorn. To Ursula, she added, "Lieutenant, please get that Striker Unit in here. I trust you can help her, Roland?"

"Yeah..." Roland told her as Barkhorn left. "I just need a breather, but I can get that walking back there with her."

"Good. Major Heidemarie, can you make sure Roland doesn't strain himself too hard? He did have to go into Jet Mode and catch the prototype before it hit the ground."

My eyes widened. Draco nearly _crashed?!_

"Yes, ma'am," the remaining major replied as she, Roland, and Ursula left to go do their task. I slipped back behind cover, my back now resting against the Launch Unit.

No...it can't be...it can't have ended up like Barkhorn's test with the Jet Striker...

 _Get a grip, Yeager!_ my mind told me. _Draco's not hurt! He's just unconscious._

"Shirley?" Commander Minna's voice asked me. I looked to my left and saw her standing there, a sort of sad smile on her face. "You heard what I just said, right? About Draco?"

"Ma'am..." I only replied.

 **XXXXXXXXXX**

 **Yay! The next chapter's finally done!**

 **...Sorry, given my focus had recently been given to trying to update** _WoG:RoN_ **, it did not help my mind get some ideas. Neither did school, but I could at least manage that. Hopefully, this chapter worked.**

 **So, apart from the break in updating, I do want to say a few things: first and foremost, the FanFicCollective wiki.**

 **Now, I know I've said it before within my second series, but given I am literally the only author with stories within the SWxHDN crossover category at the moment I thought it might help to put the information here in case any readers of this series wanted to go check it out. I do have Roland's and Draco's info (among a few other things; also, yes, I now have some data on Draco. I just have it there) there, but it's not just me; there are other authors whose series are part of it as well. It's definitely a good idea (personally speaking) to check out some of their data as well, but if you don't want to look at that for now then there are also the forum and community for them right here on this site: you can check my profile page for links or how to find the wiki page. The community has the stories that are featured on the wiki, so feel free to check it out and help support those authors. Who knows: you might find a story you haven't read before there.**

 **Now, a smaller priority would be the poll I have up on my profile page. Now, I'm not sure if any readers reading this have had a chance to read my other series, but if you have and haven't had the chance to look at the poll, please feel free to do so. Any votes you place on it will be appreciated.**

 **[And finally, for some reason I had a thought of having a Fire Emblem X Strike Witches crossover. Now, I'm not saying I'll go through with it, but do hear me out: both deal with war, and for some reason I think it'd be a good idea.]**

 **With those said, it's time to close this out.**

 **Please read, respond, and let me know what you thought of this. And just in case, I will say this right now (consider it a sort of "sorry for the wait" treat): the next arc will be dealing with a particular duo. That's all I can say about it at the moment.**

 **Anyways, thanks for reading, and I will see you guys in the arc finale.**


	8. The Dragon and the Rabbit (Part 2)

**Hello, and welcome to the next exciting chapter of** _Strike Heroes 3: Global Revengeance_ **!**

 **Couple of notes, first off: of course, this is, like most of the other chapters (one exception so far) with a Part 2 in their names, going to be closing this arc.**

 **Another is that...well, this might have been one of the more difficult arcs to work on. Not really because of anything troubling, really: since (** ** _Spoilers! -Anti-Spoiler Squadron_** **)** **Draco and Charlotte are together in my other series' backstory (** _Witches of Gamindustri_ **; not here to promote it, just wanted to at least put in a reference), this should make my job easy, right?**

 **...Not quite, if that was what you may have answered with. Yeah, I wrote Roland and Minna getting together (a shipping I do have a name for thanks to a friend of mine), but that was...kinda based on a question I asked way before all this. Like, back in the first story. Anyways, the point here is that, as I have said before, I wanted to write the story how I wanted to show it, but I also want to know what you guys would like to see. This diffculty stems more on my end with the first part, but I will try my best to make sure that this at least ends good, if not better.**

 **Now...with that said...let's keep going. Never was one for wanting to keep a sour mood of sorts if I didn't want to.**

 **On to the reviews!**

 _Gamerman22_ **: Now, not too sure how to take the review quite at the moment, so I do apologize if I get the intention wrong. I am going to answer the points you mentioned, though, to help clarify.**

 **To be honest, I didn't see the "Flash Fire" as being a Jet Striker. Then again, you're made a review for a story written by someone who doesn't even know a lot about one of his own OCs (Duke), so what do I know? The main thing is that I didn't see this arc becoming the fourth arc from the second season all over again, but I'll let this chapter show what I mean. Also, I do agree with the idea that Draco isn't a test subject, but...note that he wasn't really forced into it. He was asked to, and after a while chose to go through with it. Now, as for Ursula herself...well, won't spoil anymore. I do appreciate you getting engrossed in the story; it does give me some satisfaction that someone is enjoying, or at least reading, these stories. Not to say that there aren't others like that, but...oh well, I'll take what I can get when it gets low on reviews. As long as people still enjoy reading this, right?**

 **Apart from that, thanks for the review, sorry again if I got your intention wrong, and I hope you enjoy this conclusion to the current arc.**

 _redcollector_ **: Thanks for the review.**

 **And there goes the reviews for now. Now...let's see here...it's time to figure out what the next arc is going to be...after this chapter...which is going to happen right now!**

 **Roll chapter!**

 **XXXXXXXXXX**

 **Chapter 8: The Dragon and the Rabbit (Part 2)**

 _Roland's POV_

"Okay, so...run that by me again, Yosh?" I asked Yoshika as Mio, Minna, the little Fuso Witch checking Draco's status, Heidemarie, and I were busy looking at the unconscious tester.

"I think it's like what I went through back in Britannia," Yoshika reiterated. "Or maybe when I needed the Shinden..."

"Britannia?" Heidemarie asked, puzzled.

"If I recall correctly, weren't your powers draining a lot of energy from you when you used them back then?" I tried.

Yoshika nodded her head. " _Hai_. Just like that, Roland-kun."

Now that I think about it...I never thought about it, but didn't she used to have difficulties with controling how her magic energy was used? Like, I recalled back on the _Yamato_ that one time that she healed ten people or so, but...didn't she faint after trying to heal someone before I met her in person?

"I'm not sure if it's just like that," Mio pointed out, "but it does make some sense. Though...why now?"

"What do you mean?" I tried.

"I mean, if he did indeed have the same problem Miyafuji did with her magic in the beginning, then wouldn't he have gotten better with his magic use by now?"

...Fair point. Draco seemed to have his magic under control until today. So...what happened to make him faint? And what were with those flaming wings? "Maybe...I'm more worried about Shirley right now." To Minna, I added, "Hey, dear, you found Shirley while we were getting Draco settled, right?"

"Yeah," Minna told me. "Shirley looked a bit...off. "

I blinked. "A bit off? What do you mean?"

"She heard about what happened to Sergeant Dracon. And...well, I'd be worried like her if you had gotten hurt."

"Huh. You think I should check up on her?"

"I'd...recommend not doing that right now."

"Yeah," Yoshika added. "I don't think Shirley is in the mood right now..."

"Well, I could try, at least," I said.

"Let's not and say we did, Roland-kun..."

"...Okay then..."

"Anyways," Mio chose to say, "we still have a few things to deal with. First thing being...he's got Miyafuji's condition right now. We need to figure out what happened to trigger it."

"But why is Shirley getting so...?"

"Dracon explained to me a few days ago when I asked him about it."

"Speaking of things like that," Minna chose to pipe in, "Miyafuji, majors, I am going to be taking Roland for a bit. We have some...business..." She grabbed my left arm and tugged on it lightly.

"Huh?" I tried, not quite getting the gist of her desires. "It's too early for cuddling, and I don't think having-"

"Not that!" Minna blushed deeply. "Just...come on!" She then pulled me out of the infirmary.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Minna! Stop pulling so hard!" I protested as my girlfriend led me down the hallway.

 _ **Last we checked, there needed to be a date before getting to the sex,**_ Lionelis quipped.

"Last I checked, there needed to be a date before getting to the- _not helping, Lio!_ "

"Almost there," Minna told me before she reached her office. Throwing the door open, she tossed me inside and closed the door behind her once she entered. "Right. Now...since we're all alone...I wanted to talk to you about Sergeant Dracon and Shirley."

"What's there to talk about there?" I picked myself off the ground and dusted myself off.

"He's got a crush on her, Roland." Minna walked over to me and leaned in towards my right ear, saying the next bit in a hushed tone: "And I think she's got one on him as well..."

I blinked as Minna pulled back. "Okay...I know Draco's got one on her, but...Shirley has one on him?" Did she tell him or something?

"Call it...a woman's intuition."

"At this point, if it's something you girls aren't telling me, I chalk it up to anything."

The commander giggled cutely. "You know, I'm still surprised you're taking being on a team of mostly girls rather well."

"You get used to it after a while." Try "still working on it". "So...any ideas?"

"I have no ideas at the moment," Minna admitted.

"...You're the commander of our unit. How do you not..."

"Roland, recall that I command our unit in a battle, not in a relationship. Besides, I don't think I want to mess with any connections they might have."

Connections?

I snapped my fingers.

"Eureka!" I shouted. I then watched as Minna stared at me. "Erm...you know, 'I got it'?" She was still staring. "Look, I think I have an idea. A mission."

"Roland, I can't just make them fly into a mission. Dracon's still unconscious, and I don't think-"

"I don't mean force them! Just...the next time we have a Neuroi they can handle, have them cover it."

Minna held up a finger to argue with me but stopped as she ran my idea through her head. " _Oh_. I get it." She then furrowed her eyebrows as she glared at me. "Why not send a sergeant who's barely recovering on a dangerous mission, wouldn't that be fun?"

I frowned. "You know, you could at _least_ say that the idea is shit."

"Sorry, but I think I should let my commanding side show right now."

"Alright, back to the drawing board...hmm..."

"For now, I want to monitor them and see what happens, alright?"

"Okay, I guess that's the best we can do. I really do wonder something."

"What?"

"...You think they'll kiss?"

XXXXXXXXXX

 _Francesca's POV_

I groaned as I was waiting for Shirley to make a move in our game of chess.

After what I heard happened to Draco, I was trying my best to keep her mind off of it, but...so far, I'm waiting for her to get her king out of check.

"Shirley~!" I called out to her. She didn't give me a response. "Hello, Earth to Shirley~!" I got on my knees while on the chair and, leaning in, waved my left hand in front of her while my right supported me.

"Hmm?" Shirley asked as she blinked.

"Finally!" I huffed as I sat back down correctly. "I've been waiting ten minutes for you!"

"For what?" She then looked down at the chessboard. "Oh...how long have we been playing?"

"About a half hour. Ten of those minutes being you going off to Faraway Land or something."

"Oh..." We sat there in silence for a bit.

"...You okay, Shirley?"

"Yeah...I guess...great..."

I frowned. I know Shirley as having a cheerful outlook ever since I met her. Sure, she got upset at me, but at the end of the day we were friends and teammates. "You're worried about Drakey, aren't you?"

"..." Shirley lowered her head.

I got up and walked over to her left side. "He hasn't woken up since the incident, but...I'm sure he's doing fine, Shirley. Well, as much as being unconscious can get him."

"He promised..."

I blinked. "Promise what?" Did they promise to do something...intimate or something? I honestly don't know what people do when they're being "intimate", as Shirley won't explain it to me, but I have a bit of an idea...I think. I mean, I hear Roland and Commander Minna chat about some of the massages he's given her, but they were usually alone. And even then, they've only been for her shoulders.

Well, last I checked, at least.

"He promised...his Striker Unit..." Shirley said as she kept her head lowered.

It must have something to do with what she's been doing the last few days. I did notice that she had been working on his Striker Unit when she had the chance, but...I don't really remember why...

"It's okay," I said as I patted her back. There's gotta be something I can do... "Hey, Shirley?"

Shirley looked up at me, her eyes looking like they were starting to water as she asked, "What is it, Lucchini?"

"Why exactly do you worry about Drakey?"

"Huh? Why?" Shirley blinked. "Well...he and I...I mean..."

I raised an eyebrow. I think my Lucchini Sense is tingling... "Do you care for each other?"

"I...I'm not sure..." Shirley sighed. "I've been out of his life since Bonneville. The only reason why we were even able to meet back up was due to pure luck. I...wouldn't be surprised if he found some girl he wanted to go back to now."

Hmm...this definitely isn't the same Shirley I know. "Alright, spill it, then."

Shirley blinked, confused. "Spill what?"

I pointed a finger accusingly at my teammate. "What are you, and who have you done with the real Shirley?"

We both sat there for a bit before Shirley said something.

"Um...shouldn't it be 'who are you' and 'what did you'?" she asked me, baffled.

"Who's interrogating who here?" I retorted.

"Right, right, you are...what do you mean by that, anyways?"

"The Shirley I know didn't let something like this get her down. I mean, you didn't give up when you had to test Merlin against that Jet Striker, right?"

"Yeah, but...Lucchini, I blamed myself for Barkhorn and Roland both getting harmed. Draco helped me through it."

I looked a bit guilty. I never really...helped her through that, did I? "Right..."

"But..." Shirley then stood up and looked at me with some sort of resolve. "I'm going to go see if Draco's awake."

"Huh? What if he's not?"

"Then...I'll just stay with him until he does." She then left the area to go head to the infirmary.

"Shirley?" I then got a bit of...something in my chest. I'm not sure what it was, but...

Am I...jealous?

XXXXXXXXXX

 _Charlotte's POV_

Entering the infirmary, I found Yoshika sitting there on of the beds next to Draco's.

"Yoshika?" I asked her.

"Hmm?" she asked as she looked around and found me. She seemed like she had been reading something. "Oh, Shirley!" She then looked at Draco. "You're here for Draco, right?" I nodded my head. "Right...Somehow I thought you'd come over here."

"How?"

Yoshika chuckled a bit. "Well, Commander Minna and Sakamoto were waiting at Roland's bedside back in Romagna when I found them, so...I kinda figured that, you know..."

I nodded again. "I see. Hey, Yoshika? You mind if I sit in here with you?"

"Sure! I was getting a bit bored reading these letters."

I blinked as I took a seat on the other bed. "Letters?"

"Right...I asked Roland-kun if I could borrow the letters he had with him. Apparently, it's not much, but he seemed to have kept track of everything he could. For instance, did you know that he wrote down what he saw in our auras once?"

Aura? Hmm...Roland could sense the aura, but...he could guess what they meant? "And?"

"Well...hang on, I'll grab it really quick." She looked back through a pile of papers she had rested on a nightstand until she found the one she was looking for. "Here it is!" She then handed it to me. "Read it."

"Uh, thanks." I took the letter from her and looked through it. I noticed that this seemed to be his first letter for record-keeping...and also, he seemed to describe our aura mainly in color, though he did seem to make some distinctions, like Perrine's green aura being more filled with jealousy at the time. My aura he described as being... "Yellow, orange, and gold?"

"I'm not sure, but maybe it's reflective of how you feel? He noted Commander Minna's bit of black aura as well as Perrine's and Captain Barkhorn, and they seemed to had some troubles in their pasts."

"Maybe. I never really thought too much about our aura, seeing as my magic focuses on speed. Wonder what he'd say about mine now..."

"I'm sure his opinion of you hasn't changed, Shirley, though..." We then heard someone groan, and we looked to see Draco stirring. "Hey! He's waking up! I'll go find Commander Minna and get her over here!" She then stood up quickly. "Keep an eye on Draco and make sure he doesn't leave, alright?"

"Right." I watched as she ran off before I stood up and went to Draco. "Hey."

"Ugh..." Draco groaned as his brown eyes opened up. "Where am I?"

"You're in the infirmary, Draco. You fainted while testing something, and the commander and the others brought you in here to rest. You're alright."

"Draco?" His voice sounded...off when he asked that. "Is that who I am?"

I blinked. "Uh, yeah. It's been your name. What, did you lose your memories or something?"

Draco turned his head to look at me. He looked a bit confused. "Who are you, miss? Did I know you?"

"Of course you know me! I'm Shirley!" I think I was starting to panic a bit. Don't tell me...

"Shirley?"

"Yes! Shirley! The girl you helped out in Bonneville!"

"...Bonneville?" Draco seemed to contemplate things before he said, "Sorry, but I don't really recall being in this 'Bonneville', Miss Shirley..."

I sat back down, shocked. Draco...did he...

XXXXXXXXXX

 _Roland's POV_

"Okay, so let me make sure I'm understanding this: after a few minutes of gently grilling him about details you both shared with each other, you believe that Draco's come down with amnesia?"

This was the first thing I said as soon as Charlotte told us about the situation she learned about while Yoshika was getting Minna, Mio, and myself.

"Yeah!" Charlotte told me. "Draco should have been able to remember about Bonneville since..." She stopped.

"Since?" Minna asked her.

"Wait, are we positive it's amnesia?" I tried again. "I mean, it could just be a memory wipe or a lapse in memory. I mean, I have those two months between coming to this world and waking up, so..."

"Try it for yourself," Charlotte told me as she motioned to Draco, who was now leaning against the headboard of his bed.

I walked over to him and said in a calm tone, "Draco, do you know who I am?"

"...No, mister," Draco replied. "Should I?"

I breathed deeply. Let's try a few things. "My name is Roland Sage. Does that ring a bell to you?"

"No...though at least I know what I can call you, Mister Sage."

"I guess that might not. I am a part of the Five Hundred and First Joint Fighter Wing alongside you."

"Five Hundred and First?"

"Does 'Strike Witches' ring a bell this time?"

"No...sorry."

So...he doesn't recall that he's a part of the Strike Witches, huh? Better try something else. "Draco, can you please tell me what year this is?"

"I...can not, sir."

"Can not or will not?"

"Can not. I don't even know why I'm here fully."

I glanced over at Minna. "I think Shirley's right about the amnesia thing."

"Oh no!" Yoshika told us. "If Draco can't remember what happened, then..."

"Could that outburst have messed with his mind?" Mio asked.

"That's really troubling," Minna added. "Unless we can figure out how to bring Draco back from this, we'll be down a Witch."

I furrowed my eyebrows before an idea came to me.

"Hey, Minna," I said quickly. "You think we can have Draco pilot his Striker Unit?"

"Roland, I made the adjustments just a while ago!" Charlotte tried protesting. "What if Draco-"

"Why?" Minna asked me.

"The mind may not remember, but wouldn't the body recall it?"

Minna closed her eyes and gave what I had said some thought before she snapped her fingers. "Of course!" To Yoshika, she added, "Miyafuji, if Sergeant Dracon is feeling up to it, let him wander around the base. Make sure that you explain about his situation only if someone asks about it; the less the others know about what's going on, the better."

"Alright," Yoshika replied. "But...why?"

Before she could get an answer, Minna grabbed my left arm as well as Mio's right arm, nodded to Charlotte, and ran out of the infirmary, dragging me and Mio along with her while the buxom Liberion Witch followed us, a little curious about why Minna left.

Soon, we reached her office again, with Minna depositing us onto the floor as she motioned for Charlotte to close the door.

"Commander Minna, since when have you dragged one of your second-in-commands, who just so happened to be your boyfriend, and his back-up behind you from the infirmary to your office?" Mio asked as she and I sat up and looked at the commander.

"I'm not worried about that," Minna said as she looked at Charlotte with a devious glint in her eyes. "Shirley!"

"Y-Yes, ma'am?" Charlotte asked nervously.

"I have a special mission for you..."

XXXXXXXXXX

 _Charlotte's POV_

I walked down the halls as I replayed the conversation I had with Roland, Major Sakamoto, and Commander Minna, looking for Draco.

 _" **I want you to help Sergeant Dracon get his memories,** " Commander Minna said to me back in her office._

 _" **Me?** " I asked, pointing to myself._

 _" **Yes. You're the only one who can bring him back to normal since you're the closest to him.** "_

 _" **But...I walked away from him, commander.** "_

 _" **Why do you say that, Shirley?** " Roland asked this time._

 _" **I was the one who left him back in Bonneville. I should have at least asked him to come with me or tried to stay stationed in Liberion long enough to see if he had magic.** "_

I didn't see Yoshika anywhere nearby.

"Hey, Lynne, Draco," I said carefully.

Draco looked at me once I said something and replied with a smile as he said, "Hello, Miss Shirley."

"Afternoon, Shirley," Lynette added. "Draco's been acting a bit weird, huh?"

"Uh, yeah..." I said sheepishly. "Where's Miyafuji?"

"She went to make something for all of us to eat and asked me to watch Draco. Something about 'he's extremely forgetful right now' or something."

"I see." Well, at least Lynette's not freaking out about it. Though Yoshika's reasoning might need to have some work done. "I'll take over for you. Go help Yoshika, alright?"

Lynette nodded her head as she stood up and went to go help out her partner, leaving me with Draco.

I looked at him carefully. I needed a way to get his memories back, but...how should I do that?

"Hey, Miss Shirley?" Draco asked me.

"What is it, Leo?" I said absentmindedly before I realized what I said. "What'd I just say?"

"Leo? Is that my nickname, Miss Shirley?"

"...Yeah. It's a shortened form of your middle name."

"Oh. Everyone else seemed to refer to me by different names. A young woman with brown hair called me 'Dracon', that red-haired lady from before referred to me as 'Sergeant Dracon', and even a young little miss called me 'Drakey'. How come no one else just calls me Draco?"

"Well, you've got Yoshika and Lynne."

"...Who were they?"

I sighed. "Lynne, her full first name being Lynette, was the blond-haired girl who was just here. Yoshika was the girl who was left in the infirmary with you."

"Oh. I feel like I should know them, but..."

"It's alright, Draco. You do have a lot to remember."

"I see." He was a little silent. "Hey, Miss Shirley?"

"You don't have to call me 'Miss Shirley'," I told him that in a annoyed tone. "I know I'm young, but that's still too formal for two friends."

"Friends?"

"Yeah."

"...Okay, if you say it's okay...Shirley..."

"Anyways, you were saying?"

"I was wondering...how close were we?"

I blinked. "W-What do you mean?"

"I mean, every time I think about you since I woke up, something kept making a warm feeling inside me. Isn't that a bit strange?"

 _That'd probably be a crush or something,_ I thought to myself. Unless he's trying to unconsciously remember me. "I'm not so sure."

"So...how close were we, Shirley?"

"Heh," I smirked a bit. "That'd be a little while, but...I guess I could start somewhere. We met when I crashed my bike and you found me."

"Crashed?"

"Yeah. After that day, we used to hang around a lot. Your dad worked on cars, so every now and then we'd help out with maintenance. Kids used to say that we stuck like glue when it came to fixing things."

"Oh. Could you explain a bit more?"

"Right. One time, one of our classmates had their bike damaged, and she asked us to ask your dad to repair it. Your dad told us that he wouldn't be able to but told us to try our hands at it if we wanted. So we did." I chuckled. "I remember that day all too well. She brought it in and told us that she had one of her pedals snap off and wanted us to help her put it back on. You worked on getting the broken piece taken off while we went looking for some new pedals. It took a while, but when we came back you were laying on your back, covered in scrapes and with the bike on top of you. Even to this day, you swore that you had tipped the bike onto yourself just as we were coming in."

"Huh. How heavy was the bike?"

"About...ten pounds? It wasn't a motorcycle, that's for sure."

"Ah. What about Bonneville, then?"

I tensed up. "What?"

"You mentioned Bonneville back when I woke up. What happened there?"

"I...don't want to talk about it."

"Why? Did I do something to upset you back then?"

"No. It was perfect...it was the end that I don't want to talk about."

"...What are you hiding from me?"

I blinked as I looked at him. "What?"

"I may not remember what you were like, but you've been rather cheerful and looked like you enjoyed telling me about the bike. What happened in Bonneville that you don't want to talk about?"

 _" **Have you ever told Draco about how you felt about that day?** " Roland asked me._

 _" **Why should I have to?** " I asked him in return. " **I left him to join the military as a Witch, and I eventually ended up being a part of the Five Hundred and First Joint Fighter Wing. Even if I told him, I don't think it'd matter.** "_

 _" **You two are friends, right? I'm sure he'll forgive you, if he feels that there was something to forgive in the first place.** "_

 _" **His memories are gone, Roland! How would I even be able to apologize?** "_

"...I really don't want to..." I said slowly before I grabbed one of his hands. "Come on, I want to show you around the hangar as well as your Striker Unit."

"My...Striker Unit?"

XXXXXXXXXX

"This is my Striker Unit?" Draco asked me as he stared at the Striker Unit that was his. Modified by me, of course.

"Yep," I told him. "I tuned this baby up over the last few days. Of course...you ended up testing Ursula's prototype, which...well..."

"Ah. Who's...Ursula?"

"She's...an important person. She's Lieutenant Hartmann's twin sister, and she helps us by making prototypes in Neue Karlsland." I wanted to tell him that she was the one who made the device that led to his current state, but...I didn't want to do any damages I couldn't fix.

"Oh. I wonder if I can meet her."

"Well...you already did, but..."

Draco blinked. "I did?" He shook his head quickly. "This 'amnesia' thingy is rather bothersome sometimes. Miss Yoshika said that she wasn't sure if I'd ever regain my memories, but...I hope I do. I mean, I want to know why that feeling you give me exists, and I doubt I'd know what the other me felt without knowing." He then looked at his Striker Unit. "Could I try flying this thing?"

 _" **The mind may not remember, but wouldn't the body recall it?** " _Roland's voice said inside my mind. "Sure. But...let me get clearance from Commander Minna, alright?" I then turned to leave the hangar before I stopped and recalled what the commander asked for me to do. "Actually, while I do that, do you mind hopping in and seeing if something jogs your memories? Don't take off, alright?" I then left him to go get that permission.

XXXXXXXXXX

 _Yoshika's POV_

"Hey, Lynne," I said to my partner, who was busy preparing something to cook. "Have you chatted with any of the others since we came back together?"

"Huh?" Lynne asked me as she stared at me. "What do you mean?"

"We've been here for a while now, so I thought..."

"Oh, for catching up?" I nodded. "Well...I was with Perrine back in Britannia, and I caught up with you and Roland, so...I don't think I have, really...sorry..."

"I see. It's alright." I chuckled nervously. "The only other person I chatted with apart from you Roland-kun, Perrine, and Shizuka is Major Heidemarie." I then remembered something. "Oh! And Sanya as well...since she wanted to give me a late birthday present." She and Eila had went out somewhere while the wing was disbanded and got me something for my birthday. Apparently, it was a cat-penguin of sorts (now that I think about it, didn't she have one of these things a few times?) that seemed to be brown and white, for some reason reminding me of my familiar.

Then again, mine was a dog, not a cat...penguin...well, it's definitely not that.

Of course, Eila at least told me a bit about what happened with them as well, but...I kinda forgot most of it. The only thing that really stood out was that they had been with one of Eila's friends, a "Nipa" as the Suomos Witch called her.

"Oh, right, you were with Roland, huh?" Lynne asked me, a bit surprised. "What was that like?"

"...Huh?" I asked her.

"Well...I was a bit curious since, with us having two men on the base who slept in the same room as some of the others, it was an experience, and if I recalled correctly you were with him at least once for night missions. So..."

I chuckled nervously. "Well...it wasn't too bad. I mean, my mom gave him my old room when I chose to move into my dad's study. Then again, it didn't really help out since sometimes, when I got a nightmare or wanted to not be alone, I ended up going over there to sleep next to him. It was really embarrassing the first time my mom came in when I accidentally hugged on to him in my sleep." Then again, for some reason, I had thought of Lynne a lot in my dreams, which was probably why I latched on to Roland; since we were stationed in Romagna, Lynne and I had been in the same room, so I guess after a while I got so used to it at night that I ended up grabbing on to something if I could.

"Oh. I wonder what it'd be like having a boy sleeping right next to you..."

"It'd be about the same. Unless, you know..."

Lynne gasped a bit. "Right!" She then sighed as she got done with her preparations. "Let me know when you're ready, Yosh."

"Right!" I said quickly as I watched her leave the kitchen for a bit. I then looked to what I was working on: some nattō beans. It really was a bit of a bummer that the only people who usually ate this were myself, Major Sakamoto, and Roland (while I'm pretty sure that the major doesn't care as long as it could be eaten, Roland's case might be the same). I think Shizuka wouldn't mind it, but...then again I'm not sure.

I then thought about Lynne for a bit. I'm not sure about it, but...I have noticed that since we've spent a lot of time together, I think something might be more than it seemed. But...what was it?

Just then, the alarm went off, signaling a Neuroi attack.

"What?!" I shouted in disbelief. Not now! Please no!

XXXXXXXXXX

 _Shirley's POV_

I made it to Minna's office and was about to open the door before I heard the alarm for a Neuroi attack go off.

"Huh?" I asked myself. "Oh, great. I've got to worry about Draco's amnesia, and they chose to attack today of all times?"

I turned and was about to head back to the hangar before I heard the door open barely as Commander Minna stepped out.

"Shirley?" she asked me.

"Commander!" I said quickly. "I was coming in to ask you about something, but-"

"I know." Commander Minna looked confused. "Where is Sergeant Dracon?"

"Draco? Oh, I left him in the hangar, letting him get settled into...his...Striker...U...nit..."

 _" **Hello!** "_ a voice said in my head, sounding suspiciously like me, as I (for some reason) imagined myself in a white void with a chalkboard in front of me. I then watched as a small version of myself, with its body proportions kinda fixed but looking a little funny to me, poofed into existence, a yardstick in her right hand. " ** _Chibi Charlotte here, but you can call me Chibi Shirley or Cee-Es._** " She then tapped the end of her yardstick against the board as a word popped up, spelling "Draco". _" **Alright, so in this situation, we have an amnesiac version of Draco here. And over here...** "_ The words "Neuroi" and "Striker" appeared after the name in that order. _" **We have the alarm for a Neuroi attack here as well as a Striker Unit.** "_ Well, there are words there, but...I guess I'll have to let it slide. I then watched as some plus signs appeared between the words along with an equal sign in order to form the equation: _Draco + Neuroi + Striker =_. _" **Bring them together, and we have...?** " _The word after the equal sign then appeared...as a question mark.

"Shirley?" I faintly heard Commander Minna's voice asked me. Blinking and shaking my head, I saw that the commander was looking at me strangely. "Are you alright? This isn't the time to space out, you know."

"Huh?" I asked in return. "I spaced out?" ...I am going to ask Roland about that later. Right now... "Sorry, just realized something. I have to get back to the hangar."

XXXXXXXXXXX

Commander Minna (who chose to follow me) and I reached the hangar a few minutes later, with a lot of men running around trying to get things ready for us to fight.

"Any signs of Sergeant Dracon?" Commander Minna asked me as I scanned the area with my eyes, finding where Draco was supposed to be. I say "supposed" because...well...

"No," I said. "Where is he?"

"Minna!" Roland called out as he stumbled into the hangar, Yoshika and Shizuka behind him. "What's going on? I was trying to work on something when the alarm went off."

"I'm not sure," Commander Minna told him. "Did you see Major Sakamoto or Major Heidemarie?"

"Negative for Heidemarie, but we did see Major Sakamoto as we were coming here. She said something about going to the command room to figure out what's going on."

"Right. I think we have bigger problems: Shirley can't see Sergeant Dracon in here."

"Huh. Right. I think we should ask about it."

I watched as Commander Minna grabbed the nearest personnel and after a quiet conversation, watched as he went to go fetch a superior, who came over to us. "Are all Striker Units accounted for?"

"We're getting all Striker Units ready, ma'am," the man said as he looked at us. "Though curiously enough, there was someone already in one of them."

"Did this person look like a male?"

"Yeah. One of my men saw him and asked him if he was cleared for take-off. He said something about not really knowing about what was going on, but-" I then watched as Roland grabbed the man's shoulders.

"Did he take off, sir?" Roland asked him, a hint of anger in his tone.

"Y-Yes, Captain Sage. Is there something we should be worried about?"

"Did anything strike you as odd about his behavior?"

"Well...he was a bit confused when we said something about a Neuroi attack, and when we asked him if he was ready to go he sounded a bit...confused."

Roland sighed. "Tell your men to get Shirley's things ready."

"Right!" Roland let the man go, and he went off to go gather my things.

"What are you thinking?" Commander Minna asked him.

"Shirley and I are going after him," the Neuroi Witch told her. "I can go right away, but Shirley needs time to get prepared." He then turned and was about to leave when I grabbed his right hand.

"Roland, I'll go alone," I said.

I watched as Roland turned to face me, confused. "Shirley?"

"No matter what happened in our past, we're still partners. I don't want to depend on you to fix all our problems, so let me go alone. I'll bring him back safely."

"Are you sure? You feelings could be compromised for all I know."

I nodded my head. "I already left Draco alone once. I'm not going to repeat it a second time."

Roland looked to Commander Minna for an answer before he said, "Alright. If you can, bring him back safely."

"Roland, Miyafuji, I want you two on standby in case things go south," Commander Minna added as she grabbed my left shoulder gently. "Shirley, radio us if you need back-up. Don't do anything reckless."

"Right," I told her as I ran to my Striker Unit and hopped in. "Captain Charlotte Yeager, ready to fly!" One of the men handed me a BAR as well as a few extra drums for it and a radio earpiece, me shoving the drums into place on my Striker Unit as I slung the gun onto my back and slipped the earpiece into my left ear. "Taking off!" I then took off down the runway as I soon flew into the air and chased after Draco.

That idiot...why is he going out there without any clues on how to fight?

XXXXXXXXXX

 _Roland's POV_

"Hey, Minna?" I chose to ask Minna as Yoshika, Shizuka, the commander, and I watched Charlotte leaving to go after Draco.

"What is it, dear?" Minna replied.

"Why did you send Shirley by herself anyways?"

Minna looked at me as if she thought it was obvious. "You know that it's helpful for a relationship when someone helps nudge it along. Even if it was something as reckless as kissing someone else's crush...besides, she's right about one thing. You can't keep on coming in to fix troubles." She then stared at the sky we could see. "I won't stop anyone from forming a relationship, not after that day."

"You think they'll become a couple immediately?"

Minna chuckled. "Yes and no."

I blinked as I looked at her. "Yes and no?"

"I think you and I can both agree that it's up to both sides to decide on what their relationship ends up being. Ours is one thing, theirs might be another."

"...Oh. Though you sure you're not letting romance novels dictate your ideas?"

"I'm pretty sure, Roland."

"Commander Minna? Roland-kun?" Yoshika ended up asking, confused. "What are you talking about?"

Minna and I looked at the little Fuso Witch.

"Should we tell her what we think?" I asked my girlfriend.

XXXXXXXXXX

 _Charlotte's POV_

It's been about ten minutes since I left the base to go after Draco, and I can barely see him flying ahead. He seemed to look behind me and decided to slow down a bit, giving me time to catch up.

"Draco, why did you go off like that?" I asked him as we stopped and floated there.

"Some guy was asking me if I was ready to head out, and I just...went because it looked like something was going on..." Draco told me.

"Still, you could have told them that you were only waiting for teammates. At least that way you didn't have to come out here."

Draco looked at me, confused. "Speaking of...what can I do?"

"For starters, I'll protect us from whatever Neuroi's coming at us. You just help me look for him and try to avoid getting hit."

"Neuroi?" Draoc nodded. "Neuroi, Neuroi, Neuroi...you mean, like that one?"

"What one?" I asked before I saw him point out towards somewhere. For some reason, I could see a carrier-type Neuroi coming towards us, and on closer inspection I could see... "Draco, pull back now." I spotted a human-shaped Neuroi, and I wasn't going to doubt the odds of it being a Witch Hunter.

"Huh? Why? It's just a Neuroi, right?"

"Neuroi are dangerous, remember?" I mentally slapped myself once I realized that he had no idea right now about Neuroi capabilities. "Nevermind. There's a Witch Hunter with it, and I'm not going to let you fight without a gun."

"Oh. But...what about you?"

"I'll try holding them off. I need you to get back to base and wait for me."

"But-"

"Go, Draco! That's an order!"

Draco blinked in shock as he nodded his head. "Understood, Shirley..." He then turned around and flew off. I then watched as the carrier-type ended up opening its sides to unleash a swarm of countless drone-types. I readied my BAR and checked the safety, flipping it to signal combat.

I aimed and started shooting at some of the drones, which ended up being destroyed at the cost of about twenty of them focusing on me. Thinking quickly, I pointed my Striker Unit ahead of me and used the ensuing momentum to fly back while firing, taking down any I could hit.

 _How many drums do I have?_ I asked myself as my gun clicked to signal that the drum was empty. _Gotta reload!_ I unloaded the empty drum and placed it on my Striker Unit, grabbing a new one and reloading the BAR. I had to evade incoming fire from the chasers I had while reloading, but soon I was able to fight again.

"Roland, Miyafuji!" I said into my radio. "I'm going to need back-up now!"

"Right," Roland's voice told me. "What's your status?"

"I've sent Draco back to base, we've got a carrier-type, and it's being escorted by a Witch Hunter."

Roland growled. "Witch Hunter? We're on our way!"

Suddenly, I saw something blink out of the corner of my eyes, and I barely managed to avoid being shot down by something. I then watched as the Witch Hunter came into view before a ball of wind swirled around its left hand.

Is that...?

Unconsciously, I raised a shield and watched as the ball of wind was launched at me, hitting said shield before dissipating. For some reason, I could feel the power behind it.

 _That's not good,_ I told myself. _It's able to use something like Hartmann's Sturm._ I have to tell Commander Minna about this!

Lowering my defenses, I looked around me and noticed something bad: for some reason, I was now surrounded by...maybe fifty drones? And the Witch Hunter.

The Witch Hunter started saying something, but I couldn't make out any words. The only thing I was trying to figure out were the following: where Draco was currently (I sent him off back to base, but did he make it?) and how to get out of this.

"I don't know what you're talking about," I told the Witch Hunter. "But I will tell you this: as we speak right now, we're sending the Neuroi Witch out here along with another Witch. When they get here, you're going to be gone."

The Witch Hunter tilted its "head" like it was curious before it decided to point a finger at me. I then noticed that the drones were charging up for a simultaneous burst of attacks that would end up peppering the area around me with beams.

Well, at least Draco managed to get out of the area...I really hope that...

" _Overblast!_ " I heard someone call out as a bolt of fire ripped through about half the drones. I then looked at the source of it and saw Draco floating there, right hand extended as it seemed to have gotten done with snapping his fingers. "Shirley!"

"Draco?" I asked him. "What are you doing here? I thought I told you to-"

"I did...at first. But the idea of leaving you to handle everything by yourself...I'm not going to do it. I hope you can forgive me, but I'm staying." I was shocked. Why would he...? "Besides, for some reason this word popped into my head, and my arms kinda just did the motions for something."

I then looked at the drones as they stopped charging up. "Well, I should send you right back and let Commander Minna know about your refusal later, but..." I then readied my BAR. "...I'm thinking that we can handle this thing by ourselves."

"So what's the plan?"

"You handle half the remaining drones. I'll take the other half and we'll both take on the Witch Hunter."

"Right." Draco took off ahead and fired off another spell as it hit about seven of the drones. I watched as a few locked on to him, but I made short work of them by firing at the ones targeting him. I then had to fly back to avoid another _Sturm_ -like bolt of wind that the Witch Hunter fired at me. "I'll deal with you in a minute! Jeez, be patient!"

"Shirley?" Draco asked as he fired an _Overblast_ at the enemy who had tried to hit me, the Witch Hunter flying to the side. "I feel a little funny..."

"Funny?" What does he mean, "funny"? "As in laughing or something wrong?"

"Something...weird...I think my body's cooking on the inside."

Actually, what _did_ happen during the testing? "You going to be alright?"

"Maybe. I'm not really sure."

"Alright, try not to do anything crazy, alright?"

"I can try, but..." Draco grunted. "Then again..."

I then backed up and watched as a bolt of wind was fired at me. I tried dodging to the left, but I got blindsided by a laser from a drone once I did so, feeling it slice past my right hip. I instinctively felt the spot to make sure nothing got hurt, but I realized that it seemed to have severed the portion of my panties on that side.

Welp, there went "losing my underwear in battle" on my checklist...which wasn't really imressive given I had lost a swimsuit a long time ago.

Better make sure nothing else gets lost; hate to be fighting in the nude at this point given I need to return to base.

I then heard Draco give off a scream before I felt a rise in the temperature of the air. Looking at him, I saw that the boy had been enveloped in fire, but...it didn't seem to be burning him to a crisp. He also had a pair of wings extending from his back that were made of flames. It was like he had access to...

Oh...oh shit...don't tell me...

Draco floated there as he soon looked at me.

"Shirley, you okay?" he asked me. For some reason, his eyes were yellow, and he sounded...calm.

"Yeah," I told him. I stared at him for a bit before I realized something. "Draco, what are you planning?"

"I'm fine. I'm just going to end this before anything else happens to you." He then looked at the Witch Hunter. "I don't know who you think you are, but...I'm the least of your problems right now. If you value your life, you'll do well to get away from here before my friend here or I kill you." The Witch Hunter gave off a sound that reminded me of a scream of defiance. "Alright, don't say I didn't warn you." He then intensified the flames around his body. "Dragon's Flames, here we go!" He then flew after the Witch Hunter, who fired off a wind spell at him. The boy simply rolled to the left and let it pass by him before he decided to crash into it, gripping its shoulders as tightly as he could. He flew the two of them up a bit before he shoved it up and extended his left hand at it. " _Overblast!_ " He fired off his spell, but the enemy righted itself and moved out of the way as the boy raised his right hand. " _Flare Rage!_ " a stream of flames was expelled from his hand as they tracked down the Witch Hunter before hitting it, lighting it on fire. He then slapped the heels of his hands together and aimed it at the now-stationary Witch Hunter. "Now, to finish this..." He charged up a red-orange ball of fire in his hands. " _Dragon's Fury - Fiery Death!_ " He launched it at the Witch Hunter, who tried to move out of the way. However, I ended up aiming at it and firing upon it, hitting one of its legs and stopping it from simply running.

We soon heard the screams of the Witch Hunter as soon a burst of white exploded from the spell.

"Draco!" I shouted as I realized what he did: he managed to actually kill a Witch Hunter himself!

"Shirley, behind you!" Miyafuji's voice called out.

"Huh?" I turned around and saw a drone charging a laser right in front of me. I think I had no time to move or anything before I watched as Roland flew past me, taking the drone with him.

"Yoink!" he called out. "Hey, I wonder if I can use this to do some team-killing on its behalf..." He then waited as the drone fired its beam, using it to direct the laser onto its allies. Once he hit five of them, he shoved his pistol onto its surface and shot a round into it to end it. "I guess that's a yes."

"What's your status, Shirley?" Commander Minna asked us over the radio.

"Draco and I are fine," I told her as I fumbled with the radio in my ear. "Though...I'm going to need to request a new pair, if you don't mind."

"Why?" Roland asked as he looked at me in surprise. He then glanced down my body to understand why before madly turning around, a blush on his face. "Do I really want to know?"

"I think I can help you with that, Shirley," Miyafuji said as she handed Roland her gun and took off her uniform, revealing her swimsuit. "Here, use this for now..." She handed it to me.

"Uh, thanks," I said as I slung the BAR onto my back and grabbed her clothes. I then pondered aboout how to best use it before I chose to simply wrap it around my lower body to make a sort of skirt for now.

"Hey, Shirley?" Roland asked as he noticed Draco's appearance. "Why is Draco on fire?"

"Uh..." I started before we watched as Draco's fire and wings went out, and he seemed to have fainted as he started to fall. "Draco!" I flew over and caught him while making sure his Striker Unit was not lost.

"Let us help!" Miyafuji called out as she and Roland helped out, the Neuroi Witch taking the boy's Striker Unit off while the little Fuso Witch checked his heartbeat. "Hmm...he's got a heartbeat still, so he's still alive. We need to return to base so he can be checked on. Come on, Roland-kun." She then led Roland off ahead of us, leaving me floating there with Draco.

"Draco..." I said slowly. "I never really thought you'd...you know, use that again, but...I'm kinda glad you did...listen...I'm sorry about all of this stuff after you fainted...I was...I was worried that...if you knew what I was worried about, that you'd...hate me..." I then looked at his face. "I'm not sure if you blamed yourself for me leaving after Bonneville, but...I was the one who walked away from you there...I wish I could have stayed with you long enough to see if you could use magic as well, but...all I wanted was to see those Witches I heard so much about." I then leaned down so that my face was near his. "I'm sorry...I'm so sorry..." I kissed his right cheek before pulling back.

"...Shirley...?" Draco asked me sleepily.

"Huh? What is it?"

"...I...I love you..."

 _I love you._

Those words darted across my mind.

Is that...is that how he feels about me?

XXXXXXXXXX

After returning to base...well...

Where should I start?

Hmm...I guess Draco's well-being would be first: the doctors (and Miyafuji upon a good inspection) said that he looked to be fine. He had used too much of his magic, they added, but it was nothing a little rest couldn't recharge.

As for me, after I got to base, Commander Minna and some of the others were a bit curious about why Miyafuji didn't have her uniform as well as why I was using said uniform as a "skirt". I simply blushed a little and asked if someone had grabbed an extra pair of panties, to which I was given one. Putting it on under the "skirt", I soon untied the improvised piece of clothing and gave it back to Miyafuji.

Now, I was sitting on the bed in my room, trying to think over the words Draco told me before he fell asleep.

 _I love you_.

Was that what he was feeling? I'm not sure: I mean, he had amnesia at the moment, so a chance to remember forgotten feelings would be close to none...but I'm not really experienced with handling amnesiacs, so who says that he can't do that?

I should ask him when I got a chance. Just to see if he could help me out...

"Shirley?" I heard Lucchini say as she entered the room. "Ah, there you are!"

"Oh, Lucchini..." I simply replied. "How's it been since I went off on the mission?"

"A bit fine. Got a nap in and all that...but...are you alright?"

"I'm fine. Just doing some thinking, that's all..."

"About Draco?" Suddenly, she seemed to adopt a sage posture as she cupped her chin with her left hand and, walking over to me, leaned in really close to my face.

"Yeah, but...not in the way you're thinking..." I blushed a little.

"Are you positive? You're blushing, Shirley~"

"I-I'm sure, you're just imagining things!"

Lucchini slipped out of her sage-like posture and clapped her hands together. "Aha! You do like him!"

"I just said I didn't!" For that matter, where did she get me "liking" him out of "thinking"?

"You do! You do! So...how long have you had this feeling?" She seemed a bit too mischievous for her own good right now.

"Um, well...wait, why am I telling you that?!"

"Oh come on! You've been giving the symptoms since he got hurt! You know, seeming aloof, worried about him, things like that."

"I'm not a simple little schoolgirl, Lucchini! I'm a Witch of Liberion, someone fighting Neuroi to protect humanity!"

"Yeah, and I'm the Queen of Sheba!" ...Note to self: ask Roland to try not to use random saying too much. I don't think Lucchini knows who she is or was... "You can afford to be a little selfish, you know!"

"Oh yeah? What do you know, Lucchini?" I smirked a bit. "You're only thirteen years old, you're a little too young to talk about romance advice."

"And you're only seventeen, Shirley. You're still able to be with him, you know? It's not like you're in Commander Minna's and Roland-kun's positions."

"Well, people seemed to have accepted them, but...wait, what do they have to do with this?"

"Everything! I mean, if people don't care about them being a couple too much, then they won't care about a lieutenant and a sergeant going out!"

"...Somehow, I think you're missing the point..."

"Huh?"

I shook my head. "Never mind...still, what am I supposed to say to him?"

"Hmm...how about telling him how you feel?"

"I feel fine, Lucchini..."

"No, what your heart feels. I may be too young to fully understand love, but...I do know what it means when two people are in love with each other. And they're usually the people who have the most problems with confessing to each other." I don't think she's had enough experience to make that claim. "Besides, it wouldn't hurt to at least try, right?"

"I guess you're right...maybe..."

"Oh good." She then looked back at the door and added, "You can come in now, Drakey!"

I blinked as Draco stepped into the room. "Lucchini...did you have him waiting outside to hear all that?"

"Duh! It was a good plan, wasn't it?"

I...growled. Yeah, just growled. "Okay, Lucchini...I'm going to give you on the count of three to-"

"She's already gone," Draco told me.

I looked at where she used to be and saw an absence of a Lucchini-shaped object.

"Retreat!" I heard her voice call out.

I'm going to have to figure out a suitable punishment for her. Or I could just have Commander Minna do it...

"So..." Draco said as I looked at him. "What you said just now..."

I sighed and, getting up, went to go close the door, locking it.

"Look, I didn't want you to hear all that, but..." I started.

"I don't really mind," the boy told me. "While she does get a bit tiring, she is a good person at heart."

"I know."

"Still...I was wondering about why you had been upset about things recently..."

I sighed. "It's nothing, just water under the bridge..."

"Well...if it makes you feel better, I don't think the other me...the one who knows what he's really thinking...blames you for what you did back then." I looked at him. "You treated me with kindness. All of you have, even if I wasn't sure of it. And you even told me a bit about our past history a little...but I'm sure he wouldn't want you to beat yourself up over something like that. He came back to you in Afrika, right? How did he act around you?"

"...He was glad to see me again, almost like he had forgotten all about it..."

"See? So chin up, Shirley. If anything...we're both glad you did what you wanted. Lucchini said that you could be a little selfish. No one's going to fault you if you slip up every now and then for something trivial. Just...be sure it's what Shirley wants, not what others want. whether you're being selfish or not."

I nodded my head. "Right..." Well, better see where this goes... "Lucchini told me to just say it, so...I like you, Draco. I might even...love you, but...I'm not sure what I want anymore. I just don't want us to be separated again..."

Draco nodded. "Well...relationships aren't really set in stone, I think. I mean, if for some reason Mister Sage and Miss Minna ever felt like it wasn't working out, they could stop being a couple."

"What are you saying?"

"Let's just be really close friends. Be a couple without the titles attached to it. If you want to give it a shot, let's be together...and if you ever felt like you deserve more...I don't mind being tossed aside. As long as we stay friends, alright?"

I nodded in agreement. "Alright...so...can we be a couple? Just until we liberate Karlsland. If we're still together after that, then...would you consider me your girlfriend?"

Draco smiled. "I, Draco Leonardo Dracon, would love to be your boyfriend, Shirley."

"Alright..." I then yawned.

"It's a bit early to fall asleep since we didn't eat anything yet, but...did you want to take a nap at least? Maybe we could see what happens..."

"Sure. I do want to at least get some things squared away before it's too late..." I then gave a mischievous grin. "Oh, right! First thing to do!" I jumped right into his personal space and kissed him on the lips. We stayed like that for a second before I pulled back. "Just something couples seem to do. How did you like it?"

"I'm...not sure right now...I guess...good?" Draco touched his lips gently. "I do hope I recall all this, though..."

"Oh, I'll remind you in case you ever forget after today. Promise."

"...Thanks, Shirley."

XXXXXXXXXX

 _Draco's POV_

 ** _The following morning (beginning of the last chapter)_**

"Oh..." I simply said once we had parted lips. "Wait, since when did you call me by my nickname?"

"It's been a while, I guess," Shirley told me. "I'm not sure if I'm going to make a habit of it or not yet." She then sat up and hopped off the bed. "Welp, better get ready for the day. Roland said something about doing some more training as well as looking into your rediscovered abilities a little. If you're up to it."

"Uh, right!" I quickly scrambled off the bed and gathered my clothes. "I'll just...be right back. I'm going to go take a bath or something: God only knows if I took one while I was out."

"You weren't gone that long...though that's in relations to the other you. Anyways, I'll take one later. I wanna take a closer look at that Striker Unit Lieutenant Ursula brought in, see if I can't help her pinpoint what triggered your outburst in the first place."

"Alright."

"And don't worry, Draco: I won't say a word about our relationship until you're ready to tell the others."

"Ah. Sure. I'll think about it, but I should be ready later today. If you don't mind waiting."

So...I need to recap this to myself: I fainted, unlocked "Dragon's Flames", and got Shirley to be my girlfriend, if only for a trial or something...

...

...I wonder if Captain Sage has any idea how to make sense of all this...

Or even anyone else on the base.

Seriously! Though now I feel like I'm going to be cut off before I even finish this-

XXXXXXXXXX

 _Sanya: Next time on **Strike Heroes 3: Global Revengeance**..._

 _Roland: Alright, why the hell are you two sitting as far away from me as possible? This is supposed to be an anti-arguing place, this sound booth._

 _Sanya: Eila started it._

 _Eila: I started it? You're the one who's taking this too far!_

 _Roland: ...There's something I'm really failing to see here, isn't there?_

 _Yoshika: (from headphones on Roland's head) Um, Roland-kun? We're trying to think of something..._

 _Roland: I'll see what I can figure out._

 _Eila: There's nothing to figure out, Roland! Now butt out!_

 _Sanya: Don't just snap at him like that, Eila!_

 _Roland: Anyways, next time: **Ice and** **Snow**. I swear, if you two don't kiss and make up already..._

 **XXXXXXXXXX**

 **...And...there's the end of the chapter and the arc.**

 **Now, I better explain a bit about why this was taking so long to make: in addition to the fact that I wanted to try getting these two together (not officially, more of a test run of sorts) as well as I can, and general procrastination sprinkled with working on other projects...I have also started up university life.**

 **So what does this mean for you, the readers? Not much, really, but I should explain a bit of my plans with things for the future:**

 **1) This story: Given I've now started university work, I still need to balance out my quarter's workload effectively as well as other things, so the next arc will have both parts written out and will both be released at the same time. This does mean that a wait is in order, and as such I probably won't even have it out until...maybe four months, if I'm right...this story isn't dying anytime soon, even if I have a few other projects to do. It does mean that, if I do conclude the series in a fifth main entry (SH, SH2, WoF, SH3, "SH4") that I want to have at least half the drafts done before I start (that estimation is subject to change depending on factors).**

 **2)** _Witches of Gamindustri: Rise of Neuroi_ **: I have the drafts of the "Noire arc" done and will be doing edits on them and updating that about every other week from when I start. Also, I have a special one-shot focusing on Leo and one of the characters from the poll I did back then, so be on the lookout for that once I get author's notes placed onto that.**

 **3)** _The Wizard of Unova_ **: This is a Nuzlocke run, so at this point I'm not too focused on it, but I do have about six more chapters to put out before I have to keep going (blame procrastination mainly) on the game. Expect an update with Chapter 3 and the introduction of the first Witch from the other crossover element in that one.**

 **4)** _Strike Heroes: Modern Lives (Project GS)_ **: There's not much to say about this one, seriously. I am going to keep going with it, but...I'm not sure for how much longer. It doesn't really seem like it's working right now, which I could see given my updating schedule with that one. Dunno, I'd like to hear your opinions on that matter.**

 **5) Other projects: I will not be discussing them, but if I get a chance I will be putting a few starting chapters out when I can to gauge your reactions.**

 **And I think that's about it for that bit...**

 _ **Oi, we're finally back...**_

 **...Huh?**

 _ **You left us back in the planned A/N for WoG:RoN. Speaking of...you do remember the crap we went through, right?**_

 **Hey, at least you met an AI.**

 _ **Yeah. An AI who's a tsundere!**_

 **As for Plutia, you did ask for it...**

 _ **We said we were sorry! Well, not publicly...**_

 **Anyways, thanks for reading this through to the end. Please leave a review letting me know what your thoughts were on this chapter, and one more thing: I'm going to be asking these questions on three of my stories just to see, but...** **what was the first story you've read that was made by me, and how did you come across it? Alternately, if you don't want to answer that or don't recall which one or how, then what did you like (or currently like) about my stories? I hope to hear from every reader, but remember that this is optional. As long as you enjoyed this chapter, that's good enough for me.**

 **Anyways, this is Dilnos521, with Lionelis, and we'll see you guys in the next arc.**


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